In the next second, Dugu Yan suddenly snapped out of her daze and stood up in panic.
Before Su Linfeng could react, she snatched the robe from his hand and hurriedly put it on.
"What the—why'd you take mine?!" Linfeng was completely stunned, sitting there dumbfounded.
Her face was flushed red all the way to her ears. She glared at him, flustered and embarrassed.
"What are you doing just sitting there like an idiot? Can't you at least put your own clothes on first?"
"Ah—uh… right," Linfeng stammered. He waved his hand, summoning another fresh set of clothes from his Na Ring, and quickly threw them on, still a little shaken.
While Linfeng was awkwardly dressing, Dugu Yan began to calm down. Once her mind cleared, she was astonished to feel the changes in her body.
The fiery energy within her had completely vanished—not only that, but her soul power had become incredibly pure, her entire physique subtly transformed. Her skin now felt smooth and soft like fine jade.
She exhaled in disbelief.
"The Whale Gel did all this?"
A sense of shock and wonder filled her heart. Who would have thought that something as plain-looking as that Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Gel could fundamentally reshape her body like this?
Once again, she realized that trusting Su Linfeng had been the right decision.
He always managed to surprise her—again and again—so much that everything around him felt like a dream.
Even so, the memory of what had just happened made her cheeks burn again.
Meanwhile, Linfeng, now fully dressed, stood awkwardly, his hands fidgeting and his face still red.
"Uh… Linfeng," Dugu Yan said after taking a steadying breath, her tone softer but hesitant. "About what happened just now… it was my fault. I lost control and frightened you. You don't have to take what I said too seriously."
Her personality made her the first to regain composure.
Linfeng froze for a moment, feeling conflicted. That's it? She wants to just forget all of it?
He couldn't just pretend nothing had happened—those images were still vivid in his mind. And didn't she just… confess to him? Was that not real either?
But what could he say? In the end, he only managed an awkward nod.
Seeing him agree, Dugu Yan quietly sighed in relief. She muttered softly, almost under her breath,
"Well… you didn't really lose anything, did you? You're the first person who's ever… touched me."
"Eh? What was that?" Linfeng blinked, smiling awkwardly. "You spoke too quietly—I didn't catch that."
"N-nothing!" she stammered, her face flushing even deeper. "A-anyway, we should keep moving. Didn't you say there's still a long way to go?"
"Uh… right, but…" Linfeng hesitated, pointing at her robe. "That's… actually mine."
"Huh?"
Dugu Yan froze, realizing that in her panic, she had grabbed his clothing. She cleared her throat, embarrassed.
"You—uh—turn around for a bit. I'll change and return it to you."
Linfeng could only sigh and turn away, walking deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest to give her privacy.
Before leaving, he waved his hand, and Zhao Wuji's remains were reduced to ashes by a flicker of golden flame.
Soon after, Dugu Yan finished changing and caught up with him.
"Linfeng, I'm ready," she said softly.
As night fell and stars shimmered overhead, the two continued their journey deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
After several days of traveling, Linfeng's memories guided them toward the forest's inner region, where powerful Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts roamed.
Dugu Yan grew tense; every rustle in the shadows made her heart race. Though time had passed, every time she remembered the Whale Gel incident, her face heated up again. She still couldn't look Linfeng directly in the eyes.
But now wasn't the time for distractions.
The deeper they went, the stronger the aura of the soul beasts became. As a Soul Master, Dugu Yan knew that any moment of carelessness here could mean death, so she stayed close—never more than a meter away from Linfeng's side.
"Phew… I'm exhausted," she finally said, looking at the endless forest ahead. "Linfeng, how much farther is it?"
"Almost there," Linfeng replied, scanning the terrain. "Once we cross that mountain range, we'll reach the forest's core area. If we keep this pace, we'll arrive tomorrow."
"Tired? We can rest for a bit if you want."
"I'm fine," she insisted, shaking her head. "As long as I'm with you, I don't mind walking forever."
Linfeng chuckled softly. "You're stubborn, you know that?"
He stopped walking. Dugu Yan's complexion had gone pale—her soul power nearly depleted from keeping up with him.
He wasn't tired thanks to his Golden Crow Divine Physique, but she clearly was. It was time to rest.
Just then—
Rumble!
Thunder rolled across the sky, and the dense forest darkened under storm clouds.
Raindrops began to fall through the canopy—soft at first, then heavier and heavier.
"Ah—it's raining," Dugu Yan sighed, sitting on a boulder and looking up at the sky.
Within moments, the rain became a downpour, soaking them completely.
"This cursed weather," she muttered, exasperated. "I just wanted to rest a little, and now this."
Her soul power hadn't recovered yet, and the chill seeped into her bones.
"Come on," Linfeng said, extending his hand. "Let's find some shelter. Once you've recovered your soul power, we'll move again."
"Mhm."
She took his hand, and he pulled her up. Together, they ran through the rain-soaked forest, searching for cover.
Linfeng's divine fire physique protected him from the cold, but Dugu Yan wasn't so fortunate. Drained and shivering, she sneezed softly, her steps faltering. Her soaked robes clung to her skin, and her face turned pale.
They had to find a dry place soon.
Finally, after half an hour of trudging through the storm, Linfeng spotted a cave halfway up a hill.
"Yan-jie, there—a cave!" he called.
When he turned back, he saw how pale she'd become. Her hair and clothes were dripping, rainwater mixing with the earthy scent of the Star Dou Great Forest.
"So cold…" Dugu Yan murmured weakly, her eyelids fluttering.
"She's freezing," Linfeng thought anxiously. "Wait—can Soul Masters even get sick?"
If she'd heard that, she probably would've rolled her eyes. Of course, Soul Masters could fall ill—especially when their soul power was depleted and their bodies were soaked through.
Without her energy, she was just as vulnerable as anyone else.
The two hurried into the cave, but the cold air inside only made her tremble harder.
"C-cold… It's even colder in here," she whispered through chattering teeth.
Her body felt heavy, her energy unresponsive. If she didn't warm up soon, she might suffer from soul power exhaustion and physical collapse.
The chapter ends with Linfeng realizing that her body temperature is dangerously low—he'll have to think fast to help her recover before it's too late.