In a dense mountain range on an unknown continent, the roars of wild beasts often echoed, startling countless birds into flight.
Ye Ling, his body wrapped in bandages, slowly regained consciousness, his eyes filled with endless confusion and bewilderment.
He felt as though he had been asleep for a very long time, his bones feeling as though they were about to fall apart.
"Where am I?"
Ye Ling gradually recalled his memories, only remembering being engulfed by the explosion of the World-Destroying Spirit Fire. He knew nothing of what happened afterward.
As Ye Ling's senses cleared, he tried to get up from the bed to assess his situation, only to find that every movement caused him excruciating pain.
His meridians were completely destroyed, not only preventing him from channeling spiritual energy but also rendering him incapable of using his soul power!
With no other option, Ye Ling could only lie still on the bed, using his remaining spiritual energy to slowly heal his injuries.
After an unknown amount of time, the sky outside the window had darkened.
Just then, Ye Ling heard footsteps approaching the door. His heart immediately tensed, and he forcefully gathered the spiritual energy within his body, preparing to retaliate at any moment.
Creak—
The wooden door was slowly pushed open, revealing a young girl in simple cloth attire, with a white tiger following closely behind her.
"Ding Dang, how many times have I told you not to come into the house!"
The girl in cloth pushed the white tiger behind her, ushering it out of the room before closing the door. She then lit an oil lamp inside, her gaze falling upon the awakened Ye Ling.
"Yo! You're awake!"
The girl, while taking off her backpack filled with herbs, greeted Ye Ling.
Ye Ling observed the girl, confirming she posed no threat, and then continued to use his remaining spiritual energy to heal his injuries. He simultaneously asked the girl, "Who are you? Where is this place?"
The girl replied, "My name is A Yu. The big傻瓜 outside is called Ding Dang. This is the depths of the Luo Yun Mountain Range."
"Luo Yun Mountain Range?"
Ye Ling frowned, confirming he hadn't heard of this place. He then continued to ask A Yu, "Is this within the domain or outside?"
"What do you mean, within or outside the domain? You're quite interesting. Did you hit your head?" A Yu sat by Ye Ling's bed and began to unwrap his bandages.
Ye Ling was startled, "You..."
"Don't move! I'm applying medicine!" A Yu pressed him down and then took out herbs from her backpack, crushing them and applying them to Ye Ling's body.
"When I found you, you weren't intact anywhere. You were barely clinging to life, and I thought you were dead. I didn't expect your vitality to be so tenacious, to survive such severe injuries."
"However, you can thank Ding Dang outside for being alive. If Ding Dang hadn't insisted on carrying you home, I wouldn't have bothered saving you."
Ye Ling was stunned, "Carried, carried you home?"
A Yu replied, "Yes! You were so heavy, and I couldn't carry you. Ding Dang was also carrying prey, so I had to let it carry you home in its mouth."
Ye Ling: "..."
Hearing A Yu's words, Ye Ling couldn't help but imagine himself being carried by a tiger.
However, Ye Ling knew this wasn't the main point and continued to ask A Yu, "Do you know where this is?"
A Yu looked at Ye Ling as if he were an idiot, "Didn't I just tell you? This is the Luo Yun Mountain Range. Do you have amnesia?"
Ye Ling shook his head and said, "I know this is the Luo Yun Mountain Range. I'm asking... which planet or continent is this?"
"Planet? Continent?"
Confusion flickered in A Yu's eyes, as she clearly hadn't heard these words. However, she was quite quick-witted and quickly understood what Ye Ling was asking. She replied, "You're asking where this world is, right? This is the first heaven of the Nine Heavens Realm."
"Hearing your question, did you fall from the sky? But you don't look like it..."
"Nine Heavens Realm?"
Upon hearing A Yu's words, Ye Ling's pupils contracted sharply, and a tempestuous wave surged in his heart!
The Nine Heavens Realm... wasn't that the era before the universe was reshaped?
How did I end up here?
The Nine Heavens Realm was an era even more ancient than the source of the river of time, long lost in the currents. How could he be here now?
Ye Ling was utterly shocked, but before he could ponder further, A Yu untied the bandages on his lower body, pulling him back to reality!
"What are you doing?"
Ye Ling was completely shocked as A Yu uncovered the bandages on his lower body. He tried to stop A Yu's "assault," but the intense pain throughout his body rendered him immobile!
A Yu, while unwrapping Ye Ling's bandages, said nonchalantly, "Why are you so agitated? I've already applied medicine to you countless times."
"You..." Hearing A Yu's reply, Ye Ling's forehead was covered in black lines. He truly didn't know how to describe his feelings.
He, the dignified Carefree Immortal, who had even slain creator gods, was now being seen naked by a strange woman...
Just thinking about it filled Ye Ling with shame.
A Yu, however, was unconcerned. While applying medicine to Ye Ling, she hummed a tune, "Apply medicine, good and fast~"
Ye Ling couldn't bear to watch the scene and could only lie there, saying to A Yu, "Um... A Yu, you don't need to apply medicine to me anymore."
A Yu asked in confusion, "Why? Applying medicine will help you heal faster!"
Ye Ling said sheepishly, "Thank you for your kindness, but men and women should not touch each other. You should avoid suspicion, as this is really..."
A Yu: "What is avoiding suspicion?"
Ye Ling: "..."
After a moment of silence, Ye Ling realized he didn't know how to explain this topic to A Yu. He could only change the subject, "After I wake up, I only need to rest to recover. You don't need to trouble yourself with applying medicine to me."
"Oh," A Yu replied, then continued to apply medicine to Ye Ling.
Seeing that A Yu had no intention of stopping, Ye Ling coughed lightly again and continued, "I said... you can stop applying medicine."
"I know!" A Yu replied, "I won't apply medicine next time, but I've already applied half the medicine this time. It would be a waste not to finish it, so I'll apply it all to you!"
"Don't worry, I picked these herbs for you in the mountains. They are all top-grade herbs and not poisonous."
"That's not what I meant... Sigh, whatever you say."
Ye Ling truly didn't know how to respond to A Yu. He could only sigh deeply and focus on using his spiritual energy to heal his injuries, letting A Yu apply the medicine.
At least, he needed to be able to move freely. Otherwise, lying in bed every day, completely exposed to a pure young girl, he wished he could disappear into the ground.
After A Yu finished applying the medicine and re-bandaged him, she asked Ye Ling, "Speaking of which, I still don't know your name."
"Ye Ling."
"Ye Ling? I'll call you Little Leaf... There are many wild beasts in the mountains, and it's very dangerous. You should rest assured and recuperate at my home. Anyway, I hunt plenty, so I don't lack food for you."
"Thank you..."
"Hehe... You're welcome!"