Ye Chen and Chu Yuechan had been playfully chasing each other for over fifteen minutes. Despite his efforts, Ye Chen couldn't catch her. Chu Yuechan's speed and agility were clearly superior to his.
Finally giving up, Ye Chen flopped down onto the soft grass, panting for breath.
"Ye Chen, are you giving up already?" Chu Yuechan teased with a soft smile. "Then you'd better hurry and grow stronger."
Ye Chen chuckled and looked up at the sky. "Yuechan, can you leave this place too?"
Chu Yuechan shook her head slightly. "Not for now. Unless you become strong enough to summon me out."
Ye Chen frowned. "What do you mean by summon?"
"To maintain a physical form outside the Fairy Gate, I need to draw power from your spiritual energy. As long as I remain outside, your deep energy will be constantly consumed. When it runs out, I'll be automatically pulled back into this space," Chu Yuechan explained patiently.
"Then… what is your current cultivation level?" Ye Chen asked curiously.
"That's a secret," she said playfully. "But if I had to say… back in the God Realm, only a few were capable of challenging me. After all, the era of the true gods has already ended."
Ye Chen was stunned. If he could summon someone as powerful as Chu Yuechan in battle, he'd have nothing to fear, even in the Deity Realm.
"That's amazing," he said with awe. "But… how do you know the era of the gods has ended? Were there others here before me?"
"You're the first to become the owner of this place," Chu Yuechan replied. "But the one who created this space was the last true god. He was also the first Spiritual Weapon Master across all the Deva Realms. This place was crafted using the rarest and most powerful materials of that world."
"I see…" Ye Chen nodded in understanding.
"Come," Chu Yuechan said, taking his hand. "Let me show you around."
Ye Chen followed her as they explored the vast space inside the Fairy Gate. They visited various areas—lush medicinal herb gardens, a natural hot spring, a spacious training ground, and even a weapon crafting workshop. There were pill refining rooms and luxurious chambers designed for dual cultivation, one of which had a massive bed that could easily accommodate dozens.
Unfortunately, both the armory and the pill storage rooms were currently empty.
Eventually, they arrived at a towering pagoda. As Ye Chen stepped inside, he was stunned. The interior was far larger than it appeared from the outside, filled wall-to-wall with ancient books neatly arranged on endless shelves.
Chu Yuechan sat down on a nearby chair. "All of these are cultivation manuals and martial techniques," she said.
Ye Chen's eyes sparkled. There were hundreds of thousands of techniques here—cultivation methods, elemental arts, and battle techniques of every kind imaginable.
He eagerly began browsing through the collections, scanning through scroll after scroll in search of something that matched his affinity and fighting style.
After some time, Ye Chen's eyes lit up. He held up a scroll with a serious expression. "Yuechan, can I take this one?"
Chu Yuechan laughed lightly. "Everything here belongs to you now. You can take whatever you like."
The technique Ye Chen had chosen was called Desolate Palms—a devastating palm technique that harnessed ancient energy. It had five stages, each stage representing a higher level of mastery. The first level used a single finger, progressing all the way to the fifth, where the full hand was unleashed.
Without delay, Ye Chen entered the training room to study and practice the technique.
Normally, understanding a high-level martial technique would take days—sometimes even months—but Ye Chen only had to read it once. His monstrous comprehension ability allowed him to understand it completely on the first try.
Excited, Ye Chen decided to test it out immediately.
He followed the 'Yang Movement' pattern detailed in the manual. The moment he completed the motion, the once-bright sky within the Fairy Gate darkened ominously, as if responding to his power.
"Desolate Palms—First Finger!" Ye Chen shouted.
A colossal hand radiating an ancient aura descended from the clouds. Only one finger was extended, while the other four remained closed.
BOOM!
The finger struck the floor of the training ground, producing a thunderous impact. The entire hall trembled slightly from the force.
Ye Chen was stunned. Even though the technique didn't leave a mark on the floor, he could tell it was extraordinarily powerful.
After all, the training room itself was made from extremely rare and durable stone, resistant to damage even from a powerhouse like Chu Yuechan.
Encouraged, Ye Chen decided to try the second stage.
Once again, the sky darkened—this time even more than before.
"Desolate Palms—Second Finger!"
Another ancient hand materialized, this time with two fingers extended. The aura it gave off was far stronger than the first.
BAMMMMM!
The explosion was deafening. The force shook the entire practice ground, creating massive vibrations.
Ye Chen laughed with joy. "Haha! What an incredible technique!"
But as the excitement faded, Ye Chen's body suddenly went limp. His vision blurred, his limbs weakened, and moments later, he collapsed unconscious on the floor.
From her seat, Chu Yuechan sighed and shook her head.
"His comprehension is impressive," she muttered. "But he's still foolish."
Even though Ye Chen had mastered the technique quickly, he had overestimated his own limits. The energy required for the second stage of Desolate Palms had far exceeded what his current cultivation could handle.
Chu Yuechan walked over and gently lifted Ye Chen's head, placing it on her lap. She stroked his hair gently, watching his peaceful face as he slept.
Strangely, the sight filled her heart with warmth. For some reason, she didn't feel bored at all just sitting there, watching him.
Hours passed. Eventually, Ye Chen began to stir. He blinked a few times, his vision clearing.
Something soft and warm was supporting his head. A faint, pleasant fragrance tickled his nose. Looking down, he saw two snow-white thighs under his head.
Lifting his gaze, he saw two soft peaks wrapped in white fabric. And beyond them—Chu Yuechan's calm and beautiful face.
"You're awake," she said softly.
Ye Chen immediately sat up, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Yuechan, what happened to me?"
"You used the second level of Desolate Palms and ran out of deep energy. You passed out."
Only then did the memory return to Ye Chen. He hadn't expected the energy consumption to be so intense.
"How long was I out?" he asked.
"About eight or nine hours," Chu Yuechan replied.
Ye Chen's expression turned anxious. "Damn! I have to get back soon. I promised Yanyan I'd meet her at school!"
Chu Yuechan giggled at his panic. "Don't worry. Time flows differently here. Five days in this space equals only one day in the real world. So in the time you've spent here, only two hours have passed outside."
"Is that so? This place really is incredible," Ye Chen said in awe.
"For now, focus on recovering your strength," Chu Yuechan said gently. "I'll leave you to rest. If you need me, just call my name."
With that, Chu Yuechan gracefully left the training room.
Now alone, Ye Chen sat down cross-legged and began cultivating. He drew in the rich energy that permeated the space, working to restore his strength and prepare for the challenges ahead.
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