294: Please prove this is your wife.

[Ding! There are many instances in the Host's world where couples have the reality of being husband and wife but lack the formal title. Therefore, the System cannot determine the relationship based on this alone. If the Host wishes to claim the reward, please prove that Hua Dieer is your wife.]

Feng Ming was so angry his lungs felt like they were about to explode. He punched a nearby tree trunk, shaking down several withered leaves.

No matter what Feng Ming said next, the System remained unmoved, merely repeating, [Please prove that Hua Dieer is your wife.]

Feng Ming's fists creaked as he clenched them. The fire in his chest almost burst through the top of his head, but he was powerless against this rigid System.

However, on second thought, he soon felt relieved.

The System was withholding the reward simply because he and Hua Dieer only had the reality of being husband and wife, lacking the formal status of a properly arranged marriage.

As long as he made up for that formal status later, the reward would be his sooner or later; it couldn't run away.

He had already secured the reality of being husband and wife; why would he fear making up for the formal status?

A roguish smile curled at the corner of Feng Ming's mouth. He stroked his chin, already planning in his mind: "It seems that once the Trial is over, I should go to the Hua Family to propose marriage."

Feng Ming calculated quickly in his mind. Hua Dieer had always been stubborn; getting her to sign a deed of sale would likely be harder than climbing to heaven.

In comparison, it would be better to go straight to her door and propose; the chances of success would actually be higher.

After all, given the situation last night, she had been quite proactive. Feng Ming absolutely did not believe she had zero feelings for him.

Having figured this out, Feng Ming stopped dwelling on it.

That reward was already there; it was just a matter of getting it sooner or later.

He then stood up to stretch his limbs. Last night, that little girl had tossed him around so much that his skeleton felt like it was falling apart.

At this moment, Hua Dieer was still sleeping soundly under the crooked tree. Her breathing was even, and her long eyelashes rested on her eyelids, adding a touch of charming innocence.

Feng Ming didn't have the heart to disturb her. He planned to wait for her to wake up, have them rest a bit, and then set off on their return journey.

He paced to the side to stretch his limbs, but within moments, he noticed something strange. Who would have thought that beneath the crooked tree where they had camped and spent the whole night in a whirlwind of passion, there was actually a tree hollow.

Feng Ming looked it over. The tree hollow was over a person's height, and the entrance was pitch black, like the mouth of a giant beast, with no bottom in sight.

Feng Ming was startled. The two of them had rested under the tree last night, yet they hadn't noticed this place at all!

He tried to extend his Mental Energy inside, but was horrified to find that as soon as his Mental Energy approached, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—he couldn't detect anything inside the hollow at all.

The more he looked, the more curious he became. Feng Ming couldn't help but step forward. The depths of the tree hollow were pitch black. Looking in from the entrance, that thick, inseparable darkness seemed capable of swallowing all surrounding light.

He gripped the rough tree trunk with both hands and leaned in to peer inside. However, all he could see was endless darkness. Just as Feng Ming was filled with doubt, wondering where this tree hollow led...

A majestic suction force suddenly erupted from within the hollow, instantly enveloping his entire body.

Feng Ming was pale with fright and struggled desperately, but his meager strength was like an ant trying to shake a tree in the face of that suction—utterly powerless.

With a sharp "crack," a large piece of bark was torn from the tree trunk he was gripping tightly, revealing the pale wood inside.

Having lost his leverage, Feng Ming could no longer steady himself. Before a cry could even escape his lips, he was violently dragged into that darkness and vanished instantly without a sound.

The forceful tug before he disappeared caused the entire crooked tree to shake violently. The branches and leaves rustled, and countless withered yellow leaves fluttered down like butterflies, landing squarely on Hua Dieer, who was sleeping soundly under the tree.

Hua Dieer gave a soft moan and sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Traces of last night's passion still lingered in her mind, and she subconsciously grumbled coquettishly, "Feng Ming, I'm exhausted. Why did you wake me up? Come over and massage my shoulders. It's all your fault, you guy, tossing me around last night..."

Halfway through her sentence, she didn't receive the expected response. Hua Dieer froze for a moment and looked around. The surroundings were empty; where was there any sign of Feng Ming?

Hua Dieer was suddenly bewildered. "Wait, where did this guy go so early in the morning? And he just woke me up..."

At this point, Hua Dieer's expression suddenly changed. This wasn't right. Even though a night had passed, she hadn't released her control. How could he be gone?

Shouldn't he have been dutifully and honestly waiting by her side for her to wake up?

"Is it that my Charm Technique couldn't control him for this long, or was he faking it from beginning to end last night?"

At this thought, Hua Dieer's pretty face instantly turned beet red, the flush spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.

If he really had been pretending to be controlled last night, wouldn't all her proactive actions have been seen by him?

But that wasn't right either; her Heart Demon had indeed been resolved. The more Hua Dieer thought, the more confused she became, her mind filled with tangled thoughts.

No, this was important. She had to ask Feng Ming clearly to his face. She immediately stood up and began searching around anxiously.

This Wangyue Spring was a land of Opportunity. Even if Feng Ming had intentionally deceived her last night, there was no reason for him to leave her alone. After all, the path out of here was long and fraught with danger.

While she was pondering, Hua Dieer's gaze suddenly fixed on the other side of the crooked tree. The pitch-black tree hollow and the deep, eagle-claw-like tear marks on either side of the entrance caught her eye.

"Feng Ming?"

Hua Dieer's heart tightened. Realizing something was wrong, she bolted toward the tree hollow.

But as soon as she approached the entrance, a majestic suction force, identical to what Feng Ming had encountered, swept out from within.

Before Hua Dieer could even cry out, she was dragged into the darkness by that immense force. Endless darkness enveloped her, but a familiar scent of green grass lingered at the tip of her nose, making her feel inexplicably at ease.

Just then, the communication stone at her waist suddenly vibrated.

Hua Dieer hurriedly pulled it out to look. It was actually a message from Feng Ming: "Oho, you're out. You're not heartless after all; you didn't just abandon me after getting your fill, but actually came looking for me."

Hua Dieer stared blankly at the words on the communication stone, and then her pupils contracted sharply, her heart filled with shock. The communication stone could actually be used! Didn't this mean she had already left the range of Wangyue Spring?

She looked up at the sky abruptly. In mid-air, the map phantom representing their position was clearly emerging.

The surrounding darkness was merely the night that had not yet faded.

Hua Dieer was stunned for a long while, then couldn't help but burst into laughter. What was this? A ridiculous accident?

She had originally thought this tree hollow was some dangerous place, but who would have thought it was actually a teleportation formation that could directly exit Wangyue Spring!

Although this discovery was both funny and annoying, thinking that it saved several days of arduous travel made it feel like an unexpected pleasant surprise.