360: Chapter 360 Campfire Talk: Is this what you call healing? It's clearly taking advantage!

The orange firelight dispelled the surrounding darkness, casting a glow on Ji Qingyun's peerless face, making her appear even more captivating.

Within the dried-up rocky valley, the only sound was the faint crackling of the burning campfire.

The pale-golden barrier of the extreme Yang Formation Plate completely isolated the suffocating Death Qi from the outside world, forcibly carving out a warm, pure land within this Forbidden Zone of Life.

Ji Qingyun sat with her knees together, her entire body curled up inside that oversized, bright red cloak.

She rested her chin gently on her knees, her limpid eyes staring unblinkingly at the dancing flames.

The deathly pallor caused by the erosion of Death Qi had already faded from her snow-white cheeks, replaced by a healthy, pinkish luster.

This was the first time in the tens of thousands of years since her birth that she had felt the warmth of something like 'fire'.

During those long years in the Blood Pool of Ten Thousand Bones, her only companions were cold blood, bone-chilling yin winds, and those foul-smelling undead spirits that roared day and night, wanting to devour her.

But now, that warmth permeating from the outside in gave her the illusion of being in another world.

She quietly shifted her gaze toward the man sitting on the other side of the campfire.

Xu Chen was holding a sharpened bronze branch, skewered with a piece of Top-grade Spirit Beast leg meat he had taken from his Natal Space.

The golden fat sizzled under the roasting of the flames, dripping into the fire and kicking up clusters of bright sparks.

He skillfully flipped the roasted meat, occasionally pouring crushed spiritual spices from a nearby jade bottle onto it.

A rich, enticing aroma of meat soon filled the rocky valley.

Xu Chen seemed to sense her gaze and looked up, flashing her a gentle smile.

“Hungry?” Xu Chen moved the golden, crispy beast meat away from the fire and gently blew on the steam. “You just transformed and suffered so much; you need to eat something good to nourish your body.”

Ji Qingyun looked at the roasted meat handed to her, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes.

“I... don't need to eat.” She spoke softly, her voice still carrying that ethereal quality of someone detached from the world. “I am the Creation Green Lotus; I only need to absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and the essence of the sun and moon to survive. Such mundane things would only tarnish my Origin.”

Hearing this, Xu Chen couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.

He didn't take the meat back, but instead stuffed it directly into Ji Qingyun's fair little hands.

“Those were the rules from when you were a plant. Since you've now transformed into a human form with a body of flesh and blood, you have to learn to be a person.”

Xu Chen sat cross-legged, resting his hands on his knees as he began to lecture her with full confidence.

“One of the greatest joys of being human is tasting the flavors of the Mortal World. This body of yours was just reshaped and desperately needs to replenish its blood and Qi. This is Pure-blooded Horned Deer meat, a rarity in the outside world and highly nourishing. You definitely won't regret taking a bite.”

Ji Qingyun held the steaming roasted meat in both hands, feeling the warmth through her fingertips. A hint of hesitation flashed in the depths of her clear eyes.

She tentatively lowered her head, opened her cherry-like mouth, and took a small, gentle bite from the edge of the meat.

The crispy skin burst in her mouth along with the rich juices. It was a wonderful flavor she had never experienced before. The rich aroma of meat mixed with the stimulation of the spiritual spices instantly awakened the taste buds of her new body.

A warm current slid down her throat and into her stomach, turning into threads of gentle blood and Qi energy that nourished her still-weak Meridians.

Ji Qingyun's eyes lit up.

She didn't refuse again. Although her eating manner remained naturally elegant, her speed increased significantly.

Xu Chen watched her eat small mouthfuls of meat, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening. This sense of accomplishment from personally pulling a high-and-mighty, ethereal demoness into the Mortal World was indeed pleasant.

Before long, a piece of roasted meat weighing at least two pounds was eaten completely clean by Ji Qingyun.

She stuck out her small, pink tongue and licked the grease from the corner of her lips with a bit of lingering desire. This inadvertent action, combined with her cold and abstinent face, radiated a fatal allure of pure desire.

Having eaten and drunk her fill, her blood and Qi recovered.

Ji Qingyun's originally hazy thoughts became completely clear.

Recalling what had happened half an hour ago, her cheeks, which had just regained some color, were instantly flooded with a charming crimson.

The blush even spread all the way to her slender, white neck and translucent earlobes.

She tightly gripped the large red cloak around her, her eyes darting away, not daring to look Xu Chen in the eye.

“Just now... when you were forcing out the Death Qi...”

Ji Qingyun's voice was as thin as a thread, carrying a noticeable tremor. “You... why did you have to get so close?”

Although she didn't understand the secular boundaries between men and women, her instincts after transforming from a plant told her that the unreserved physical contact between them, and Xu Chen's hot, large hands moving across her back, had definitely crossed normal limits.

Hearing this question, Xu Chen laughed inwardly, but his expression instantly became incredibly serious and solemn.

He sat up straight, putting on the air of a noble, righteous divine doctor saving the world.

“Lady Qingyun, you've misunderstood me.”

Xu Chen addressed her by name, his tone carrying three parts heartbreak and seven parts unquestionable professionalism.

“You don't know that the ancient Death Qi in that blood pool is extremely... exceptionally venomous! It had already invaded the depths of your heart vessels, like a maggot in the bone. Sending spiritual power from a distance would not only fail to uproot it but would instead provoke the Death Qi, causing it to instantly shred your Dantian!”

Xu Chen spoke as if it were a matter of fact, his deep gaze looking directly into Ji Qingyun's flustered eyes.

“I possess a Pure Yang Body, and only by using the most fundamental Pure Yang Qi can I contend with that Law of death. The transmission of this Origin Qi allows for no obstacles. If there were even a thin layer of gauze between us, the Yang Qi would dissipate in the air. Not only would the efficacy be greatly reduced, but you would also face the risk of your body exploding!”

Ji Qingyun was completely stunned by Xu Chen's series of theories.

She was inexperienced in the ways of the world and knew nothing about human Cultivation Techniques or medical principles. Seeing Xu Chen's candid expression, like the clear wind and bright moon, the suspicion in her heart couldn't help but waver.

“But...” Ji Qingyun bit her red lip, her voice becoming even more faint. “Even if you had to transmit Yang Qi, there was no need... no need to hold me so tightly, right?”

Recalling how she was held tightly in his arms without any room to struggle, Ji Qingyun felt her body temperature begin to rise uncontrollably again.

Xu Chen let out a long sigh, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

“Qingyun, at that time, you were so tormented by the Death Qi that your mind was clouded and your whole body was twitching violently. If I hadn't held you firmly, and the Pure Yang Qi had deviated from the vital points of your heart vessels, who would have taken responsibility for the consequence of Qi Deviation?”

Xu Chen stood up and walked over to Ji Qingyun, looking down at her with a deep sense of responsibility in his eyes.

“A healer has the heart of a parent. In that life-and-death moment, I, Xu Chen, only saw a patient. How could I worry about propriety between men and women? If I had been hesitant to avoid suspicion, you would probably be a withered skeleton in this valley by now. Not only are you not grateful for my life-saving grace, but you actually suspect me of taking advantage of you?”

These words were spoken with great force and righteousness.

Ji Qingyun's pure lotus heart was instantly filled with guilt.

Yes, he had not only saved her from the siege of the undead but had also not hesitated to expend his Origin to uproot the Death Qi for her. At such a dangerous moment, he must have been under immense pressure. She knew nothing; how could she use such sordid thoughts to speculate about her benefactor?

“I'm sorry...”

Ji Qingyun lowered her head, her voice like a mosquito's buzz. Her proud and cold posture as a descendant of a Demon Emperor was completely defeated by Xu Chen's serious nonsense.

“I blamed you wrongly. Xu Chen... thank you for saving me.”

Looking at this pure white lotus who had been completely bamboozled by him, Xu Chen was overjoyed, but his face remained full of tolerance and magnanimity.

He sat back down by the campfire and casually added a handful of dry wood to the fire.

“Forget it, the ignorant are innocent. As long as you can wake up safe and sound, my efforts weren't in vain.”

Xu Chen took the opportunity to gracefully drop the subject and skillfully changed the topic.

“Once your body has fully recovered, I'll take you away from this lifeless, ghostly place. We'll go see the outside world.”

Hearing the words 'outside world', Ji Qingyun suddenly looked up, her clear eyes sparkling with an undeniable longing and curiosity.

“The outside world... what is it like? Is it like here, full of killing and coldness everywhere?”

She had been trapped in the Blood Pool of Ten Thousand Bones since her birth; all her memories were accompanied by endless darkness and death. Her knowledge of the world outside only consisted of vague fragments within her Bloodline Legacy.

Looking at that beautiful face full of curiosity in the firelight, Xu Chen's voice became gentle and magnetic.

“The outside world is very big. There are immortal islands floating in the clouds and prosperous cities stretching for millions of miles. The sun there is very warm, and the wind carries the scent of flowers and grass. There aren't any of those disgusting bone skeletons.”

Xu Chen described the scenery of the Eastern Wasteland and the grandeur of the Xu Family to her.

“There, no one will dare to bully you at will. You can wear the most beautiful flowing immortal dresses and walk on the streets under the sun. You can buy whatever you want to eat and go wherever you want to go.”

Ji Qingyun listened intently, entranced.

She gripped the edges of the cloak tightly with both hands, as if she could already see that warm and bustling Mortal World through Xu Chen's voice.

“Can I... really go?” she murmured to herself, her tone carrying a hint of uncertain trepidation.

To a being who had lived in darkness for years, that light seemed far too luxurious.

Xu Chen reached out across the firelight and gently stroked her smooth green hair.

The movement was natural and intimate.

Ji Qingyun's body stiffened slightly, but this time, she didn't pull away.

“Of course you can.” Xu Chen's tone carried an absolute dominance and protectiveness. “When I, Xu Chen, say something, even the Heavenly Dao cannot change it. From today on, there will no longer be loneliness and death in your world. You only need to stay by my side and be my person with peace of mind.”

Be my person.

These four words struck heavily on Ji Qingyun's heartstrings.

In this cold and silent rocky valley, deep within this Forbidden Zone of Life abandoned by the world, the smile of the man before her and this jumping campfire became the only light source in her long life.

Ji Qingyun didn't speak; she just leaned quietly against the rock behind her, watching Xu Chen with a soft gaze.

That innate defensiveness and coldness melted away at this moment. A sentiment called 'bond' quietly took root and sprouted between the man and the flower.

The night grew deeper.

The grey mist outside the rocky valley let out silent roars as it was blocked by the Formation.

Inside the rocky valley, Ji Qingyun listened to Xu Chen telling interesting stories about the outside world, and her eyelids gradually became heavy. Surrounded by that never-before-experienced sense of security, she wrapped herself in the large red cloak and, for the first time in this peril-filled forbidden zone, fell into a peaceful sleep.

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