After Accidentally Entering the Forbidden Land and Forming a Bond with the Grandmaster - Chapter 3

Chu Lanci suddenly understood where the green bruises on his body had come from. It turned out that the intimacy within those dreams had been real.

Xie Zhuo lifted his head to look at Chu Lanci. His vision was still blurred, but he could vaguely sense that this frail man was crying. He did not know how to comfort people, so he could only wait for the man to finish his weeping. However, he did not expect the crying to last for such a long time.

It was only when pain surged through both of them again that Chu Lanci let out a soft groan and stopped his crying.

Afterward, Xie Zhuo heard Chu Lanci crying again.

“Does it hurt much?” he could not help but ask.

Chu Lanci leaned weakly against a rock. Of course, it was not only because of the pain, but he simply shook his head.

Since it did not hurt, Xie Zhuo asked, “Then why are you crying?”

Chu Lanci did not know how to explain himself. “I do not like men,” he replied.

Xie Zhuo remained silent for a moment. He decided he should not let the man feel so distressed. “Do you want me to erase this memory for you?” he offered.

Chu Lanci thought about it and replied, “That would be for the best. Immortal, can you really do that?”

Xie Zhuo answered without emotion, “I can.”

He raised his hand to form a seal, and a clear light condensed at his fingertip. He tapped it against Chu Lanci’s brow. When the spell was complete, Chu Lanci’s eyelashes fluttered slightly like butterfly wings ruffled by the wind, but they soon returned to stillness.

Once he finished, Xie Zhuo sat down to meditate. After surviving the ordeal with the inner demon, he needed to recover his vital energy.

After the flash of spiritual light, Chu Lanci stopped crying. He raised his tearful eyes, looked ahead, and then looked down at his own body. He had no idea what had happened to him. He only felt that his entire body was incredibly sore. He stole a glance at the meditating Xie Zhuo, thinking that the Immortal probably had not beaten him this time, as there was no reason for a powerful being to hit him. He noticed green marks all over himself, and he could see that some of them were fresh.

The two of them sat there together: one was meditating, while the other was stretching his limbs. Perhaps because his legs had been raised for so long, they were still achingly sore, so Chu Lanci began to gently massage them.

At that moment, the sky at the bottom of the Flame Cliff changed mysteriously. The flowing clouds spread like splashed ink in shades of vermilion gold, deep purple, and indigo. Layers of aurora danced amidst the rising heat waves of the lava, creating colors so beautiful they were breathtaking. Watching this, Chu Lanci could not help but let out a soft exclamation of “Wow.”

At that sound, Xie Zhuo opened his eyes. There was no smile on his cold face, and he showed no interest in the brilliant sky above.

Instead, he asked Chu Lanci, “Are you feeling any better?”

Facing the Immortal’s sudden concern, Chu Lanci smiled and said, “I am much better, though I am still a bit sore.” He did not mention the fact that he felt as though he had been beaten, as that would clearly imply the Immortal was responsible. He did not want to offend a powerful master.

Hearing this, Xie Zhuo asked no more. He stood up and searched the area until he located a cave. Once he found it, he returned to the other man. “There is a cave over there. Let us go there. There is no telling what might happen once it gets dark.”

Chu Lanci looked up and asked, “What would happen? What exactly is the situation right now?”

Xie Zhuo replied, “This is the situation. I am still recovering. If things go wrong, we might fall into an illusion set by the Forbidden Grounds. As for the night, there will be ferocious beasts and demonic beasts. Anything is possible.”

Chu Lanci nodded and stood up shakily. “Then let us go,” he said.

Xie Zhuo felt an impulse to support him, but after a moment’s thought, he turned and began walking first. After walking for a while, he looked back and saw a small shadow far behind him. Chu Lanci was following slowly, and his steps were limp and unsteady. Xie Zhuo frowned slightly.

He walked back until he stood directly in front of Chu Lanci.

Seeing the man return, Chu Lanci hurried to say, “My legs are very sore, so I cannot walk very fast.” He then felt the need to explain further. “Actually, my physical stamina is usually quite good. Truly, I do not know why I am like this.”

He could sense that every time he mentioned these things, Xie Zhuo’s expression became slightly odd.

“Anyway, I will just walk slowly,” he said in a low voice, sounding somewhat pitiful.

Xie Zhuo’s face remained expressionless. He silently turned around and dropped to one knee. “Get on my back,” he commanded.

Realizing what Xie Zhuo intended to do, Chu Lanci waved his hands frantically. “I am very heavy. Please forget about it.” Besides, he thought it was very strange for one man to carry another.

Xie Zhuo said nothing. Using a spell, he pulled the man onto his back. Once he was being carried steadily, Chu Lanci had no choice but to wrap his arms around Xie Zhuo’s neck. “Thank you, Immortal,” he whispered.

He decided then that this Immortal was actually a very good person. Xie Zhuo heard this and shook his head with a faint smile.

Before long, the two arrived inside the cave. Xie Zhuo placed a boundary seal outside the entrance and cleared out an area for resting.

Chu Lanci was incredibly grateful. Seeing that Xie Zhuo was doing all the tidying, he said, “Immortal, you do not need to prepare a bed for me. I will do it myself in a moment. I just need to sit and rest for now.” He had his own hands and feet, and he felt awkward letting someone else do the work.

Xie Zhuo glanced at him and replied flatly, “It is for both of us.”

Before they could leave the Forbidden Grounds, they would inevitably have to perform Dual Cultivation again to neutralize the poison.

“Both of us? Oh,” Chu Lanci thought. He felt it was odd since he had already said he did not need help, but he watched as Xie Zhuo pulled various items from his storage ring. It was clear the Immortal intended to stay here for a while. Chu Lanci reasoned that he probably intended to heal his wounds properly before leaving.

He felt a bit embarrassed, but he decided that once he recovered, he would help out.

After finishing the tidying, Xie Zhuo said to Chu Lanci, “I am going outside.”

Chu Lanci quickly asked, “Do you have any clothes?”

Xie Zhuo remained silent. With a flicker of spiritual light from his fingers, four or five robes flew out from his ring and landed softly on the newly prepared bedding. Once he provided them, he went out.

Chu Lanci breathed a sigh of relief once he was alone and began putting the clothes on one by one. The clothes belonged to Xie Zhuo and were far too large for him.

Just as he finished dressing, Xie Zhuo returned. He was dragging a giant beast that looked like a cross between a bear and a tiger. The beast was covered in blood. Xie Zhuo dropped the bloody trophy in front of Chu Lanci with a heavy thud that sent a cloud of dust into the air.

Chu Lanci was stunned, but what Xie Zhuo said next left him completely speechless.

Xie Zhuo said, “Eat this deer to nourish your body.”

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