Chapter Thirty-One: Azure Demonic Flame

Mu Yudie truly did not speak again.

Her silence, however, only made Di Yalan and Shi Yan feel awkward, the two exchanging glances, not knowing what to say.

“Dawn is coming,” Shi Yan said, glancing up at the sky, searching for words. “How’s your body? How much of your vital energy has recovered?”

“Not only is it fully restored, but I’ve even made progress.”

Di Yalan probed herself quietly, her eyes suddenly shining. Blushing, she whispered, “Just now, it felt as if… as if a strange power entered my body. That peculiar energy merged with my vital essence and changed something in my chest…”

She frowned, recalling the sensation. She vaguely felt that the strange power had seeped from the vital energy Shi Yan had channeled into her.

Shi Yan was stunned, murmuring softly, “So it’s true…”

Di Yalan fixed her enchanting gaze on him. “Is it related to you?”

He nodded, smiling as he explained, “I consumed many rare pills left by an alchemist, but I never fully absorbed their effects. Most of the medicinal power is still inside me, and just now… some of it dissolved and entered your body.”

The truth about absorbing the essence of the dead was too bizarre and sinister—Shi Yan would never reveal that secret. Instead, he used Kalu as a scapegoat, attributing the unusual power to some extraordinary pill.

“These pills must be incredibly precious.” Di Yalan nodded, not doubting him. She had already suspected Shi Yan had connections to an alchemist, given his skillful use of poisons.

“Mm, probably very precious.” Shi Yan smiled, offering no further explanation regarding his relationship with Kalu. After a moment’s thought, he frowned and asked curiously, “You said a force seemed to change the meridians and flesh in your chest. Can you try to sense any changes?”

Suddenly, Shi Yan thought of the awakening of his own Petrification Martial Spirit—that strange power not only increased vital energy, but seemed to trigger the emergence of martial spirits.

His Petrification Martial Spirit had never manifested before; it was only awakened under the influence of that force. Even the appearance of the Undying Martial Spirit might be related. Since Di Yalan mentioned a change in her chest, he had his suspicions.

“I’ll try.” Di Yalan nodded slowly, focusing her mind on sensing the changes in her chest.

With a thought, strands of vital essence surged into the valley between her breasts, swirling beneath the tender flesh. The energy seemed to transform, growing hot and intense.

Di Yalan’s expression changed. She quickly guided the energy into her arms, channeling it down to her right palm.

With a muffled “whoosh,” a ball of sapphire-blue flame burst from her palm. It radiated scorching heat, no larger than a fist, flickering restlessly and casting the tree hollow into the shifting hues of a turbulent blue sea.

“Oh!” Di Yalan cried out in amazement, her bright eyes sparkling as she leapt to her feet.

Just as I suspected! Shi Yan exulted inwardly, his eyes narrowing. He was now certain: that strange power could indeed awaken the martial spirit slumbering within a warrior!

“Blue Demon Flame!” Di Yalan exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement, her eyes alight, words tumbling out in disbelief. “This is our family’s martial spirit! I know it—it’s our family’s martial spirit! Since my grandfather’s generation, no one in our family has inherited the Blue Demon Flame. Heavens! How could this be?”

Mu Yudie had long since awakened. She stared at Di Yalan in astonishment, unable to comprehend. “How is this possible? Sister Lan, you’re already twenty-seven—how could your martial spirit awaken now? Am I seeing things?” She rubbed her eyes vigorously, still unable to believe it.

“Ha!” Di Yalan’s body trembled with joy. She was at a loss for words to express her happiness, her gaze fixed on the sapphire flame in her hand, tears welling up in her eyes.

She was weeping with joy…

Shi Yan understood her feelings well.

On the Divine Grace Continent, those who possessed martial spirits held a decisive advantage in battle and had far greater prospects. Martial spirits were more precious than anything to a warrior. Those without them could only dream of such power.

For families like Di Yalan’s, whose ancestors once possessed martial spirits but whose descendants did not inherit them, the absence of martial spirit was a disgrace—a circumstance that could spell the decline of a once-glorious lineage.

Martial spirits were of utmost importance, both to individuals and to their clans.

“What exactly happened?” Mu Yudie, dazed for a long while, turned to Shi Yan, ignoring the euphoric Di Yalan.

“Uh…” Shi Yan forced a smile. “It’s hard to say. It’s related to the strange medicinal power in me. I don’t know what kind of pill it was, but the effect is certainly unusual. Don’t look at me like that—I really don’t know.”

“You little rascal, thank you, thank you!” The flame vanished from Di Yalan’s hand. She suddenly threw her arms around Shi Yan, as if wanting to merge into him, her body trembling with excitement.

Her proud chest pressed against his, causing Shi Yan to secretly enjoy the sensation, his body responding involuntarily.

Di Yalan noticed at once. She blushed, released him, her luminous eyes filled with warmth and laughter. “You scoundrel, you’re never honest, are you?”

“Heh.” Shi Yan chuckled awkwardly, saying nothing more.

Mu Yudie glared at them, indignant. “I’m still here—must you two put on such steamy displays in front of me?”

“You silly girl, I’m just too happy,” Di Yalan scolded with a smile.

“But what exactly happened?” Mu Yudie was beside herself with curiosity.

“I don’t know, either.” Di Yalan shook her head, joy still beaming from her eyes. “It’s all because of him.”

“You mean… after you and he did that, the martial spirit you haven’t awakened in twenty-seven years, and might never have awakened, suddenly emerged?” Mu Yudie’s lovely face was filled with astonishment.

“Though it’s unbelievable, that’s the truth,” Di Yalan admitted, blushing.

“Are you saying his… that thing of his is the elixir juice of a divine pill?” Mu Yudie’s cheeks turned crimson as she shook her head vigorously. “I don’t believe it! It’s completely illogical!”

Shi Yan coughed, looking up at the opening of the tree hollow. “Day has already broken. We should get moving.”

“Yes, we should.” Di Yalan clearly didn’t want to dwell on the topic, lest Mu Yudie say something even more embarrassing.

With that, Di Yalan hurried to the opening, tossed a rope down to the ground below, and called for Mu Yudie to hurry up.

“I’ll never believe it!” Mu Yudie was still brooding, shaking her head and grumbling as she reached for the rope.

With Di Yalan’s help, Mu Yudie’s body slowly ascended toward the opening.

Suddenly, she shrieked, her legs kicking wildly as she dangled in midair. “What are you doing, you brute!”

“Just helping you out,” Shi Yan said, lifting her shapely bottom with both hands to give her a boost. “This way it’s easier for you.”

“No! Let go! I don’t want your help!” Mu Yudie shouted, struggling so hard that she lost her grip and tumbled down.

With a thud, the two of them crashed back into the hollow.

Shi Yan sprawled on the ground, looking quite content, while Mu Yudie landed squarely on his waist, her legs still flailing as she cried, “Let go! Let go!”

Her full, delicate hips pressed tightly against a certain part of Shi Yan’s body.

Thanks to Di Yalan’s earlier embrace, Shi Yan was still as hard as iron. With Mu Yudie twisting atop him, her curves rubbing against him, the pleasure nearly made him cry out.

“You pervert! You shameless rogue!” Mu Yudie quickly realized what was happening. Blushing, she covered her bottom and scrambled to her feet, tears brimming in her beautiful eyes. “Sister Lan, he bullied me! That wretch bullied me!”

“Hush!” Di Yalan, her expression solemn, signaled for silence from above.

Shi Yan sprang to his feet, instantly casting aside all thoughts of the previous scene. He climbed swiftly up to stand beside Di Yalan, asking calmly, “What is it?”

“There’s a demon beast!”

…