"Mm." Die nodded slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Wait for me!" Chen Mo once again slid down along the rock wall. The ground near the underground river was damp, and he was careful not to fall into the water.
After drinking two handfuls of water, Die finally said she was no longer thirsty.
"Thank you!" Die crossed her hands behind her back and spoke shyly.
[Ding! Favorability +1. Obtained 1 Favorability Coin.]
"No need to be so polite with me," Chen Mo glanced at the darkening sky outside the canyon and said, "This place seems pretty good—it's close to a water source, and I even saw fish and shrimp in the underground river earlier. We won't have to worry about food.
We'll have to stay here for the next few days and wait until things calm down before heading out."
There was something Chen Mo didn't say—so long as Die remained missing, the Tagor Desert would remain in turmoil.
Staying here was just an excuse; his real goal was to take full advantage of Die.
"Ah, okay." Die blankly stared at Chen Mo for a moment before nodding.
As night fell completely, Chen Mo started a fire inside the canyon. It wasn't large and was built within a cave, making it impossible to see from outside.
The darkness helped conceal any smoke that might escape, reducing the chances of being noticed.
After considerable effort, Chen Mo managed to catch two fish from the underground river. He skewered them on dry branches and placed them over the fire to roast.
Outside the canyon, the roars of magical beasts mixed with the howling wind, creating an eerie cacophony.
Inside the cave, a lone man and woman sat across from each other, separated by the flickering flames. Neither spoke, but their hearts were far from calm.
A spark shot out from the fire as Chen Mo turned the fish over. Before long, a delicious aroma filled the air. He was the first to break the silence.
"The fish is ready. You eat first."
He handed the first cooked fish to Die.
Die tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and added some firewood before replying, "I'm not hungry yet. You eat first, you're the injured one."
Chen Mo gave her a sidelong glance, propped up the half-cooked fish, and then walked over to her with the finished one.
Without giving her a chance to refuse, he grabbed her delicate hand and forced the roasted fish into her palm. "I told you not to be so polite with me. Besides, I still have mine—it's just not done cooking yet."
Die's face instantly turned scarlet at his domineering gesture, feeling the warmth from his touch.
She subtly pulled her hand away, sat down with the fish, and began eating in small bites, keeping her head low.
[Ding! Favorability +3. Obtained 3 Favorability Coins. Hand-holding bonus triggered—obtained a Yellow Rank Advanced Flight Dou Technique: Kunpeng Wings (Upgradeable).]
Chen Mo's sharp brows lifted in surprise—this was the second time he had triggered a hand-holding bonus. He mentally asked the system, What is a hand-holding bonus?
[The hand-holding bonus is part of the intimacy bonus system. It includes kiss bonuses, hug bonuses, and more. Triggering intimacy bonuses grants extra rewards.]
The system quickly provided an explanation.
Hearing this, Chen Mo's eyes widened slightly.
A bold thought surfaced in his mind.
Of course, it was just a thought.
"System, can Kunpeng Wings be upgraded?" Chen Mo couldn't hide his excitement.
In the original novel, only Dou Ling-level powerhouses could achieve short bursts of flight, and true flight required reaching the Dou Wang or Dou Huang realm. These experts could externalize their Dou Qi, forming energy wings that freed them from the earth's restraint.
Aside from that, only rare flight techniques could grant the ability to fly.
[Host can check for yourself.]
Chen Mo opened the interface and saw that upgrading Kunpeng Wings required spending Favorability Coins.
Currently, the technique was at Yellow Rank Advanced.
Spending ten Favorability Coins would upgrade it to Profound Rank Beginner.
Chen Mo had 15 Favorability Coins, so he immediately chose to upgrade it.
In an instant, Kunpeng Wings advanced to Profound Rank Beginner.
Since flight was a crucial survival skill, Chen Mo had no hesitation in spending his Favorability Coins on it.
"What's wrong?" Die noticed that Chen Mo had gone silent and was staring blankly ahead. She looked at him with confusion.
Chen Mo composed himself, returned to his seat, and resumed roasting his fish.
While he focused on cooking, Die stole glances at him while eating her fish.
Her gaze lingered on his strong, well-defined figure, and the blush on her cheeks deepened.
After finishing her meal, Die added more firewood to the flames. She wanted to talk to Chen Mo but noticed that he had already sat down cross-legged, his eyes closed as if meditating.
"I guess I shouldn't disturb him."
Coiling her serpentine tail, Die curled up and lay down, resting her hands beneath her head. Her bright eyes, glowing slightly in the firelight, remained fixed on Chen Mo's face.
Inside his cultivation state, Chen Mo focused inward. Upon reaching the Dou Zhe level, one could view their Qi Whirlpool with inner sight.
Due to his unique cultivation method, his Qi Whirlpool and the Dou Qi within him were a mixture of black and white, resembling a chaotic void.
After stabilizing his energy, he began refining Kunpeng Wings.
A surge of information flooded his mind.
Suddenly, a breathtaking vision unfolded before him—
A colossal Kunpeng, spanning ten thousand feet, spread its wings and soared through the sky, covering a vast distance in an instant.
Chen Mo took a sharp breath.
But in the next moment, searing pain erupted from his back, as if something was being forcibly implanted into him.
The excruciating agony made him cry out involuntarily.
Seeing this, Die panicked and rushed to his side.
"What's wrong? Are your wounds opening up again?"
Chen Mo's face was covered in sweat, his veins bulging as he trembled violently. Die, still suffering from amnesia, couldn't think of a solution. She could only clutch her chest in anxiety.
What should I do? You can't die!
Touching his body, she realized he was burning up. But looking at the pitch-black underground river, she knew she was powerless to help.
Blaming herself, she clenched her teeth and sat down beside him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pressed her entire body against his back.
This was the only thing she could think of—it was uncertain whether it would help at all.
Chen Mo, however, was unaware of Die's actions.
His consciousness was locked in battle against the invading remnant soul of the Kunpeng.
The soul fragment drilled into his mind, trying to take over, and this was only for advancing Kunpeng Wings to Profound Rank Beginner. If he upgraded it further, who knew what kind of suffering awaited?
Experiencing a soul attack for the first time, Chen Mo's body convulsed, and his complexion paled dramatically.
He immediately circulated the Supreme Primordial Art to resist.
He didn't know how long this struggle lasted—his consciousness became hazy, and eventually, he blacked out completely.
In his fading awareness, he seemed to hear the sound of a woman crying beside him.
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