Chapter 197: Awakening from the Enchanted Dream

Has she ever returned?

This question perpetually haunted Qian Ye’s mind, lingering like a restless specter. Even when the physical pleasure reached an indescribable peak, the question persisted, repeatedly asking, “Has she returned? Has she ever left?”

After the peak of ecstasy, Qian Ye experienced a brief period of calm, and his thoughts became clearer. The face of Ye Tong in his arms kept changing, sometimes into someone familiar, and other times into a complete stranger. She was gently writhing, as if utterly exhausted, trying to escape, or perhaps enticing him to continue.

Suddenly, she pushed Qian Ye away and leaped into the room. But her extreme fatigue made her movements slow, even in this unexpected move. Her attempt to flee gave Qian Ye a new perspective on her body.

This temptation was irresistible. Even though her body and appearance were constantly changing, they could not erase the imprint in Qian Ye’s heart. No matter how Ye Tong changed, she remained Ye Tong, impossible to forget.

Her desperate attempt to escape stirred the beast within Qian Ye. He sprang up, grabbed her from behind, and pressed her down.

“No! Stop, let me go, you… can’t… do this…”

This time, Ye Tong’s struggle was especially fierce, almost a frantic resistance. But it was too late; all her efforts were futile and only brought on a more intense onslaught. When Qian Ye finally felt a bit tired and slowed down, Ye Tong was already completely limp, unable to move.

But her immobility did not mean she had given up. She turned her hand and dug her nails viciously into Qian Ye’s waist, which only provoked another round of brutal suppression.

However, something seemed different about her, though Qian Ye couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

The small courtyard kept changing, sometimes resembling their home in Blackflow City, sometimes their residence in Nanqing City, and occasionally, the first wooden cabin they built in the Neutral Grounds. Each scene, each corner, bore the marks of their frenzied encounters.

Ye Tong had never left, yet Qian Ye felt as if he had lost her for too long, wanting to make up for all the lost time in that moment.

She no longer resisted, nor had the strength to do so.

As the sky gradually darkened, the world faded into blackness. Finally, Qian Ye felt exhausted, fell back, and drifted into a deep sleep.

The night was unusually short, and soon Qian Ye was awakened by the morning light. Rubbing his eyes, he shielded them from the glare and looked around.

At that moment, his vision and consciousness were disconnected. The scenery was vivid, but his reactions were sluggish, and it took a long time for his mind to piece together any meaning.

He was in a clearing in the forest, which looked like a campsite. A nearby campfire had gone out, and the campsite was in disarray. Vague scratch marks on several trees suggested that something had happened there.

Qian Ye suddenly felt parched, his throat burning as if on fire. He instinctively searched Anduya’s mysterious space, finding only jars of wine and no water. These jars reminded him of something; the wine was precious, but drinking it could lead to dire consequences.

Shaking his head vigorously, Qian Ye tried to dispel the unbearable headache. Sharp, tearing pains prevented him from concentrating, and he couldn’t remember anything.

At this point, the pulsation of his blood core quickened slightly, and streams of golden blood flowed through his body, instantly revitalizing him. After a few breaths, the fog over his consciousness lifted.

He remembered: this was the Great Maelstrom, and the campsite was the one he had set up the previous night. Now, it was early morning, and the night had just passed.

“Ahh!” Qian Ye exclaimed, leaping up and unexpectedly soaring ten meters high, over the treetops, spotting a small pond nearby.

Surprised by his jump, Qian Ye fumbled, trying to adjust his position. Suddenly, he felt weak and powerless, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.

The pain of the fall confirmed that this was still a high-gravity area, with gravity about eight times that of the Imperial Continent. This matched Qian Ye’s memory. The force he used to leap should have only been enough to stand, but instead, he had jumped ten meters high.

Lying on the ground for a moment, Qian Ye slowly got up. He examined his body during this process. His muscles appeared normal, but a strange energy was flowing through him. It seemed to be origin power but was different from ordinary origin power, and definitely not void origin power. If anything, it was somewhere between the Evernight and Dawn.

Whenever his body moved, this energy amplified his strength, explaining the powerful burst of energy he had just experienced.

The source of this energy was unknown, but it seemed to be a good thing, at least for now.

On the other hand, Qian Ye felt sore all over, extremely fatigued, and achy from prolonged excitement. His limbs felt like lead, making every movement difficult. This fatigue was not from combat but from a night of intense exertion.

Looking around, Qian Ye confirmed it was the campsite from the previous night. However, the place was in shambles, as if a battle had taken place. During the night, Qian Ye had slept, experiencing a series of bizarre and chaotic dreams. In each dream, Ye Tong was present, a welcome surprise.

“Perhaps, I miss her too much,” Qian Ye thought, somewhat self-deprecatingly.

But there was another pressing issue: while Qian Ye had fallen asleep, how did Jiy Tianqing and Li Kuanglan spend the night? If they were willing to eat the white fruits, it would be fine, but if they insisted on saving them, they might be in danger without Qian Ye’s blood core to sustain their vitality.

Qian Ye had assumed that in a life-or-death situation, they would drink the white fruits and the wine. What use were treasures if they were dead? But Jiy Tianqing and Li Kuanglan seemed to prioritize their wealth, especially Jiy Tianqing, who was determined to save the fruits, even at the cost of her life.

Rising, Qian Ye began to search for the two women.

With the blood core’s rapid pulse, the fuzziness and dullness in his mind dissipated, and his senses sharpened. Soon, he heard the sound of water and faint voices in the distance.

Recalling the pond he had seen, Qian Ye headed in that direction. In the Great Maelstrom, water bodies were particularly dangerous. But this pond was small and in a high-gravity area, so it should not be too perilous. If Jiy Tianqing and Li Kuanglan were there, they should be safe.

Quickly traversing the woods, Qian Ye stopped at the edge. A few steps further, and he would be at the pond.

The forest pond was about tens of meters square, with clear, rippling water. The green grass on the sloping bank was dotted with wildflowers, swaying gently in the breeze, creating a serene and beautiful scene.

Jiy Tianqing and Li Kuanglan were in the pond, washing themselves.

Girls, by nature, loved cleanliness. Even with secret techniques to clean their bodies, most preferred to bathe. Especially in such a tranquil and beautiful setting, the temptation was almost irresistible for the women who had been fighting and running for days without rest.

However, the pond was small and clear, allowing a view to the bottom. The two girls in the water were almost as exposed as if they were standing naked.

Seeing this, Qian Ye immediately stopped, stepping behind a tree and averting his gaze.

Though he had been intimate with Li Kuanglan, leading her to feel comfortable undressing in front of him, it was under duress. Under the current circumstances, he did not wish to see her body uninvited.

Moreover, Jiy Tianqing was in the water. This lively and mysterious girl had no intimate relationship with Qian Ye. In the two nights they had spent together, she had seen Qian Ye in his entirety, but he had not gained any advantage. Seeing Jiy Tianqing’s body would be different. If not for the Great Maelstrom, she might have hunted Qian Ye for years over this.

Qian Ye didn’t hide his presence, nor did he use his bloodline to conceal his aura. He simply hid behind a tree. This amateurish hiding, however, went unnoticed. The two girls continued washing and chatting.

“You really want to wash, I thought you were planning to stay like that for a few days!” Jiy Tianqing said with a suggestive smile.

Li Kuanglan snorted, and a chill filled the air, causing Jiy Tianqing to yelp. Smiling triumphantly, she said, “Freeze you, little demon! Trying to play tricks, and ended up getting yourself involved, huh?”

Jiy Tianqing snorted, “Who knows who suffered more! If not for my intervention, would you even have the energy to bathe?”

Li Kuanglan spat, “Who asked for your help? Besides, you had ill intentions, didn’t you? Enjoying my misfortune, are you? Letting you get cocky!”

“Tsk, coming to the Great Maelstrom and ending up with so little, how could I be satisfied? Of course, I deserve a share of the benefits.”

“Daring to be so bold! If you wanted a share, why didn’t you act on the first day? You clearly lacked the skills, couldn’t fight, and couldn’t escape. You got thoroughly defeated, and you still dare to talk?”

“So what? I was just playing along. I need him to work for me later, so I’m giving him a taste of sweetness. Besides, I at least fought, and I was overwhelmed. Winning and losing is part of the game. I’m not like some people who can only show off a few fancy moves and then surrender. You’ve disgraced the Li family!”

Li Kuanglan, enraged, unleashed another wave of cold, shouting, “Freeze you, little slut!”

Jiy Tianqing retorted, “If you had that much energy, why didn’t you use it last night?”

Li Kuanglan’s aura instantly waned.