164: Protecting in dire circumstances, nurturing deep affection through rain.

Traveling through the Misty Swamp for several days, even with Lin Xuan's precise guidance and everyone's caution, they inevitably encountered several dangerous situations.

Once, they accidentally stumbled into a sea of hidden "Phantom Soul Flowers." The eerie fragrance could trigger Heart Demon and create realistic illusions. Even Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan were caught off guard for a moment and nearly turned on each other. Finally, it was Lin Xuan who relied on his powerful Divine Sense and Taichu Sword Intent to forcibly shatter the core of the illusion, waking everyone up.

Another time, they were besieged by a group of "Ghost-Faced Poison Spiders" whose strength was comparable to the Late Golden Core Stage. The spider webs were tough and highly toxic, and the venom they spat could corrode protective Qi shields. That battle was extremely fierce; everyone sustained injuries. Even Lin Xuan, in order to protect Yun Shang, who had weaker cultivation, had his arm slashed by a spider leg, leaving a wound deep enough to see the bone, with dark green toxins spreading rapidly.

"Big Brother Lin!" Gongsun Yu saw this and was frantic. Ignoring her own consumption, she frantically mobilized the Chaos Thunder Gang, sending waves of purple lightning crashing into the spider swarm as if it cost nothing, forcibly clearing a vacuum zone around Lin Xuan. She rushed to Lin Xuan's side, and seeing his rapidly blackening arm, her eyes turned red instantly. Without thinking, she leaned down, put her mouth to the wound, and tried to suck out the poisoned blood.

"Don't be foolish!" Lin Xuan stopped her. This toxin was fierce and definitely not something she could withstand. He quickly pressed acupoints to seal her Bloodline, while simultaneously circulating the Qi and blood power of the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art and a trace of vitality obtained from the thunder source crystal marrow to forcibly suppress the toxin, though his face inevitably paled a few shades.

Eventually, through their combined efforts and at no small cost, they eradicated the entire group of Ghost-Faced Poison Spiders. After this battle, the atmosphere in the team became even heavier, and they realized even more deeply how terrifying this swamp was.

After successive bitter battles and high vigilance, everyone's Qi and mental energy were greatly depleted. On this day, they finally reached the deep edge of the swamp. According to the map, passing through the final area ahead, known as the "Dead Silence Mudflat," would allow them to leave this accursed swamp.

However, the Dead Silence Mudflat before them was even stranger than imagined. The mudflat was shrouded in thick, impenetrable black fog, which not only blocked sight and Divine Sense but also emitted a power of dead silence that devoured vitality. Gray-black bubbles constantly rose on the surface of the mudflat, releasing a nauseating stench when they burst.

"The Death Qi here... is so heavy!" Yun Shang's face turned pale; her Star Spirit Body was most repulsed by the aura of this place.

"We must pass through as quickly as possible; this place is not suitable for a long stay," Lin Xuan said in a deep voice. He could feel a heart-palpitating aura lurking in the depths of the mudflat.

The five of them formed a formation again, with Lin Xuan leading the way, carefully stepping onto the only seemingly solid black ground at the edge of the mudflat. Every step had to be extremely careful, because no one knew which piece of land under their feet was solid and which was quicksand that devoured everything.

Halfway through, a sudden change occurred!

In the center of the mudflat, a huge vortex suddenly exploded! A monster resembling a giant lizard, but entirely made of pitch-black silt, with only a single giant eye on its head, suddenly thrust out half its body! — The Dead Silence Swamp Mirage! Its aura had actually reached the Early Nascent Soul Stage!

Its single eye locked onto Lin Xuan, whose Qi fluctuations were the most active in the team (due to the lack of full recovery from days of battle). It opened its giant mouth filled with fangs, and a black breath mixed with extreme Death Qi and corrosive power, like a torrent of destruction, swept over instantly! Wherever it passed, even the space emitted a sizzling sound of being unable to bear the burden!

This strike was too fast! Too fierce! The coverage was too wide!

"Careful!"

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan changed color simultaneously and attacked with all their might! The Moon Brilliance Sword River and the blood-colored lotus shadow intertwined, attempting to block it.

Yun Shang also invoked starlight, constructing a barrier.

However, the power of that Dead Silence breath exceeded imagination, instantly tearing through the Moon Brilliance and the blood lotus, and the starlight barrier was also crumbling! It was on the verge of completely swallowing the five of them!

Just at this critical moment!

A petite figure, carrying an incomparably determined will, suddenly rushed to the very front, facing that destructive breath!

It was Gongsun Yu!

She had long since burned her own Golden Core Origin, and an unprecedented brilliant lightning erupted from her body! That lightning was no longer pure purple; at its core, it actually faintly carried a trace of Chaos color and a sacrificial crimson!

"Big Brother Lin —!"

She looked back at Lin Xuan. In that glance, there was attachment, worship, reluctance, and even a lack of regrets for sacrificing herself for protection!

The next moment, her whole body transformed into a Chaos lightning pillar that spanned the heavens and earth, slamming into that Dead Silence breath without hesitation!

"Boom —!!!"

A deafening roar echoed over the mudflat! Destructive energy storms raged wildly!

The Chaos lightning pillar and the Dead Silence breath collided fiercely, annihilating and eroding each other!

The lightning ultimately failed to completely offset the breath, and the residual power slammed fiercely into Gongsun Yu!

"Puff —!"

She spat out a mouthful of blood, the blood even containing wisps of electric light. Her delicate body flew backward like a kite with a broken string. The lightning around her was dimmed to the extreme, her aura withered instantly, cracks appeared on her Golden Core, and she fell into a deep coma!

"Little Yu!!"

Lin Xuan's eyes were about to split, his heart felt as if it were being fiercely gripped! He caught Gongsun Yu's limp body, feeling her extremely weak vitality and her Golden Core on the verge of shattering. An unprecedented rage and heartache surged into his heart!

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan were also stunned. They didn't expect that Gongsun Yu, who usually looked simple and ignorant, could burst out with such determined courage at a critical moment!

The Dead Silence Swamp Mirage seemed to have consumed a huge amount of energy from this strike; the light in its single eye dimmed, and it slowly sank into the mudflat vortex, not attacking again immediately.

"Go!!" Lin Xuan suppressed the urge to immediately tear the Swamp Mirage into pieces, knowing that this place was definitely not a place for healing. He held the unconscious Gongsun Yu tightly, his Qi and power erupting without reservation. He forcibly expanded the Taichu Sword Domain to resist the residual energy storms and Death Qi erosion, and with the fastest speed, he rushed out of the range of the Dead Silence Mudflat with Su Wanqing, Qu Feiyan, and Yun Shang!

Not until they completely left the swamp and found a hidden cave, after laying down layers of Restrictions, did Lin Xuan carefully lay Gongsun Yu on the soft dry grass.

Looking at her small face, pale as paper, the bloodstains at the corners of her mouth, and the near-collapse injuries in her body, Lin Xuan's heart ached in waves. He didn't hesitate to take out the best healing Medicinal Pill he had, carefully fed it to her, and used his own most pure and gentle power, mixed with the vitality of the thunder source crystal marrow and the Taichu derivation intent, to slowly channel it into her body, carefully repairing her damaged Meridians and the Golden Core on the verge of shattering.

This process was extremely mentally exhausting. Fine beads of sweat seeped from Lin Xuan's forehead, but his eyes were incomparably focused, not daring to be the slightest bit careless.

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan stood guard on the side, watching Lin Xuan's pained and focused appearance, watching Gongsun Yu's pale but peaceful (because she was in Lin Xuan's arms) little face, their hearts were complex and unspeakable. There was shock and gratitude for Gongsun Yu's self-sacrifice, and also a kind of indescribable sourness, but more of it was a kind of approval and pity.

After several hours of sleepless and tireless full-force treatment, Gongsun Yu's injuries finally stabilized. The cracks on the Golden Core began to heal slowly under the nourishment of the thunder source crystal marrow's vitality and Lin Xuan's Origin power. Although still weak, her life was no longer in danger.

The night was deep, and the bonfire in the cave flickered. Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan were guarding and adjusting their breathing on the periphery, leaving the inner space to Lin Xuan and the unconscious Gongsun Yu.

Lin Xuan sat beside Gongsun Yu, watching her breathing gradually stabilize, her tightly furrowed brows slightly relaxed, and he felt a little relieved. He gently held her slightly cool little hand, feeling the lightning aura in her body faintly blending with his own power, and his mind kept replaying the determined look she had before the mudflat.

"Silly girl..." He sighed in a low voice, his fingertips gently brushing away the sweat from her forehead.

Just then, Gongsun Yu's long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes. What came into view was Lin Xuan's handsome face, full of worry and tenderness.

"Big Brother... Lin..." Her voice was weak, but with a hint of joy, "You... are okay... that's great..."

"I'm fine." Lin Xuan squeezed her hand, his voice low and full of apology, "But you are seriously injured. Next time, you must never take such risks again!"

Gongsun Yu shook her head gently, trying to squeeze a smile on her pale face: "As long as I can... protect Big Brother Lin... I am... willing..." Her gaze was clear and firm, and the affection contained within it was revealed without reservation at this moment.

Looking at her pure, devoted eyes, the softest part of Lin Xuan's heart was fiercely touched. He leaned down and pressed a solemn and gentle kiss on her smooth forehead.

"Rest well, I will always watch over you." He promised softly.

This kiss was like a mark, completely igniting the long-buried feelings in Gongsun Yu's heart. A moving blush appeared on her pale cheeks, and her eyes were filled with shimmering water. She gathered all her strength, grabbed Lin Xuan's hand tightly in return, as if using up all the courage of her life, her voice as thin as a mosquito, yet incomparably clear:

"Big Brother Lin... Little Yu... will always be yours..."

The meaning in the words was self-evident.

Lin Xuan looked at the fiery passion burning in her pure eyes, feeling her trust and surrender without reservation, and there was no more hesitation in his heart. He waved his hand to set up a tighter sound-proof Restriction, lowered his head, and gently kissed those two lips, which were slightly cool from weakness but incomparably soft.

This time, it was no longer a soothing kiss on the forehead, but the most intimate blending of affection between a man and a woman.

Inside the cave, the light of the bonfire jumped gently, reflecting the figures of the two tightly embracing. Clothes gradually faded, and slight gasps and suppressed groans sounded in the stillness, accompanied by the deep resonance and blending of power and the Source of life. Gongsun Yu responded awkwardly and clumsily, opening up and dedicating everything of herself, body, mind, and Soul, to the Big Brother Lin she had long admired and loved...

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan, who were guarding outside, seemed to have sensed something. They looked at each other and saw a hint of complexity in each other's eyes, but finally, it all turned into a barely audible sigh, and they quietly expanded the guard range a little more.

【 Ding! Bond with target Gongsun Yu increased to 'Flesh and Soul Fusion'! Triggered deep resonance! 】

【 Detected that the Host and target Gongsun Yu are undergoing deep life Origin fusion, both sides' lightning Origins are producing a virtuous cycle and sublimation! 】

【 Gongsun Yu receives feedback: Injuries accelerating recovery, lightning Origin purified, Golden Core cracks accelerating healing, cultivation bottleneck loosening! 】

【 Lin Xuan receives feedback: Lightning Law comprehension deepened significantly, understanding of Chaos Thunder Gang improved, Qi and blood more abundant! Obtained special status 'Lightning Spirit Favor' (Lightning Spell power increased, Lightning Tribulation risk reduced)! 】

When everything calmed down, Gongsun Yu curled up in Lin Xuan's arms like a kitten and fell into a deep sleep, with a satisfied and happy smile on the corner of her mouth. The injuries in her body were recovering at an astonishing speed under the medicinal power of the Golden Core and the wonderful resonance just now. Lin Xuan held her smooth back, feeling the dependence and trust of the person in his arms, and his heart was filled with love and a sense of responsibility.

The three women who fell in love with him had now entrusted their body and mind to him. The road ahead might still be full of thorns, but his determination to protect them was as solid as a rock, unbreakable.