Chapter 61: Magic Beast Mountain Range
She really used some strength… Yao Yan lay on the floor, watching Cai Die hurriedly slither away, muttering to himself.
Ying ying~
Ling'er padded over and gently tapped his head with her fuzzy paw, looking puzzled by why he was lying like that. Her bright green eyes were full of curiosity as she tilted her head, locking gazes with him.
Honestly, that expression was incredibly cute. Adorably so.
Yao Yan rubbed his head and slowly sat up, scooping Ling'er into his arms and ruffling her silky fur. He chuckled, "Your days are really the good life—no worries, just eating and sleeping all day. Enviable."
At his words, Ling'er lazily let out a chirp and nestled into a comfortable spot in his arms, her bushy tail swaying.
What Yao Yan said went over her head—and she didn't care to understand it either. As a heavenly flame spirit, she didn't have a human's complexity. Eat, sleep, occasionally bully a blind idiot on the road—this was her entire life.
If she hadn't met Yao Yan, she'd probably still be dozing in the Shennong Mountains… maybe already back in hibernation.
After teasing Ling'er for a bit—
Yao Yan stood and stepped into the inner room. Cai Die was seated quietly at the bedside, her back half-turned toward him. She clearly noticed his presence but deliberately looked away. Still, her alluring, curvaceous figure and gently resting tail were in full view.
That graceful figure, those seductive curves, her charming snake tail calmly resting to the side like a pair of long, slender legs—and her twin ponytails added a touch of youthful innocence.
This girl clearly had no idea how tempting she was…
Yao Yan approached and, seeing her puffed-up cheeks, spoke softly, "Don't be mad. I'm sorry—I got carried away just now."
At his apology, Cai Die slowly turned her glistening peach blossom eyes toward him. Her gaze met his, and whatever pouting she had vanished. Her heart skipped a beat—he was so close.
Before she could say anything, Yao Yan suddenly leaned back and sat beside her, smiling like a sly old fox. "That move you pulled—who taught you that? Almost snapped my back."
As he spoke, he groaned and rubbed his waist dramatically.
"Are you okay?"
Cai Die forgot her petty anger and hurried over, reaching out to gently touch his lower back. In theory, he shouldn't have been hurt—after all, she hadn't used any Dou Qi.
"It still hurts. Help me massage it a bit."
Yao Yan lay down flat on the bed, arms and legs stretched out, pretending to be in pain.
Cai Die's eyes flickered with suspicion. She had a feeling he was bluffing again. She may not know the story of the boy who cried wolf, but being teased often had made her cautious. She wasn't a fool—she had a genius older sister, after all.
But… she was too kind to refuse~
Seeing the fatigue in Yao Yan's expression, she couldn't bear to reject him. After a moment's hesitation, she moved closer and started massaging him with gentle care. "Is it here, Young Master?"
"You can add a bit of Dou Qi."
Yao Yan made his request while relaxing into her touch. A massage from someone of Queen Medusa's bloodline—how could that not be enjoyable?
Cai Die complied, letting Dou Qi flow into her fingertips and applying more pressure. "Like this?"
"Ahh~ Perfect, keep going."
Yao Yan let out a moan so content it turned Cai Die's face crimson.
Ling'er sat nearby watching, her eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.
Before long, Yao Yan drifted off into sleep. He was truly exhausted—half a month of nonstop pill refining had drained him. Crafting peak Tier 5 pills was still a great strain on him, forcing total focus without a moment's rest. The mental toll was immense.
Once she realized he was asleep, Cai Die gradually slowed her movements. She blinked her peach blossom eyes and stared at his nearly perfect face, softly murmuring, "Young Master looks even better when he's asleep."
After a moment's thought, she lay down beside him, propping up her chin and quietly watching.
Her dark blue tail gently swayed.
Enjoying the peace of that moment.
…
Nearly five days passed in flight, stopping at three cities along the way. But Yao Yan never let Cai Die disembark. He didn't want to waste time. With her looks, she was bound to attract lustful fools—and most of those people were weak and crude.
He had no desire to waste time on trash like that, especially now that they were nearing Wu Tan City. Excitement was building in his heart.
Whether it was the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Jade or the Flame Mantra—both were key to his future path.
There was no room for error.
Cai Die was a little disappointed. She had hoped to explore the human cities and see what their world was like. But since Yao Yan didn't allow it, she respectfully held back. His business was clearly more important, and she knew how to prioritize.
This was where she and her sister differed.
Cai Die was gentle by nature. As long as her bottom line wasn't crossed, she was willing to talk things through and listen. But her sister… Would a queen ever listen to others?
Queens are all tsundere. Even when they know they're wrong, they won't admit it.
That day—
The flying beast entered the territory of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Through the window, one could see the endless mountain ranges in the distance, covered in dense forest. Further in, even mist formed by condensed natural energy could be seen. While far from the richness of the Shennong Mountains, it was still a true treasure of the Jia Ma Empire.
Compared to the barren Tagore Desert… there was no contest.
"So this is the Magic Beast Mountain Range…"
Cai Die leaned on the windowsill, gazing at the deep forest with a complex look. At last, she understood why her sister had tried to lead the serpent-men out of the Tagore Desert—why she was willing to sacrifice so many. Compared to that wasteland, the lands of humans were simply too fertile.
Resources, environment… even the air felt fresher.
"Looks like we're here."
Yao Yan appeared beside her at some point. He looked out over the mountain range and spoke softly. Then he retrieved a map from his storage ring to confirm their current location. His target was Qingshan Town inside the mountain range. As for Black Rock City—the largest city nearby—he had no interest in it.
"Get ready. We're heading directly into the mountain range from here."
He put the map away and gently patted Cai Die's shoulder, interrupting her thoughts.
Hearing this, Cai Die turned to look at him and hesitated. Then she spoke, "Young Master, do you think the serpent-men and the Jia Ma Empire can ever live in peace? We just want a piece of land to survive on. It's not like the empire doesn't have enough…"
"You're not part of the serpent-men anymore. Your sister will handle those matters. You shouldn't overthink things—always daydreaming about such pretty fantasies."
Yao Yan couldn't help but laugh at the naïve girl in front of him and replied with a smile.
After a pause—
His expression grew a little more serious. "What you're hoping for is impossible—unless the serpent-men produce a Dou Zong-level expert, someone who can suppress the entire Jia Ma Empire. Only then could the serpent-men do whatever they want."
"Remember this—on the Dou Qi Continent, strength reigns supreme."
Yao Yan had understood that truth clearly since the age of twelve!
(END CHAPTER)
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