373: Chapter 373 Shedding the Animal Skin: A Stunningly Beautiful Face That Reigns Supreme

The morning mist gradually dissipated.

Xu Chen finally managed to pull the little girl off his neck, taking deep breaths of the slightly chilly air.

He looked at Tuoba You's tear-streaked yet heartlessly grinning baby face and crossly pinched her cheek.

"Youyou, it's fine to hug Big Brother in the future, but if you use that much strength again, Big Brother will truly have to go see the ancestors of the Xu Family."

Tuoba You blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite, and nodded obediently in agreement, her dusty little hands tucked behind her back like a child being punished for a mistake.

Xu Chen smiled helplessly, turned to take Ji Qingyun's hand, and led this heaven-sent loli of monstrous strength across the messy pit, heading deeper into the Ancient Temple Ruins ahead.

After crossing several pools of nauseating blood-mud, the terrain ahead suddenly opened up.

This Dao field left behind by an Ancient Great Emperor still retained a breathtakingly grand atmosphere, even after tens of thousands of years of erosion.

On the plaza paved with massive black jade, broken sky-propping stone pillars could be seen everywhere.

The Death Qi permeating the air became noticeably thinner after entering the ruins, seemingly isolated by the power of the residual Formations beneath the ancient temple.

The three of them traversed the ruins.

By afternoon, after bypassing a collapsed side hall, a hidden inner courtyard appeared before them.

In the center of the courtyard, there was actually a spiritual spring that hadn't dried up!

The spring water was crystal clear, with a thin layer of milky-white spiritual mist hovering over its surface. A refreshing burst of pure vitality wafted toward them, forming a stark contrast with the decaying aura of the Forbidden Zone of Life's periphery.

Tuoba You's eyes lit up the moment she saw the spiritual spring.

Like a joyful fawn, she dashed to the spring in a few steps, squatted down, scooped up a handful of sweet spring water, and drank it, letting out a sigh of satisfaction.

Standing beside Xu Chen, Ji Qingyun looked at the tattered beast skins on Tuoba You—whose color was almost unrecognizable—and the black bloodstains on her face and the back of her hands; a hint of pity flickered in her cold eyes.

As a woman herself, she naturally couldn't bear to see such an exquisite girl covered in grime all day.

"Husband," Ji Qingyun gently tugged on Xu Chen's sleeve and spoke softly, "Youyou is dirty. The water in this spiritual spring is pure and mild, perfect for bathing. I want to take her to wash up, but she doesn't seem to have any spare clothes."

Hearing this, Xu Chen's gaze swept over the few pieces of beast skin barely covering Tuoba You, and he nodded in agreement.

This girl would be a member of his Xu Family from now on; how could she run around looking like a savage all day?

With a thought, Xu Chen's Divine Thought entered the high-grade Storage Ring on his finger.

As the Young Lord of an Imperial Clan, his storage space was all-encompassing, filled with top-tier Cultivation resources and rare treasures, so naturally, it didn't lack women's Dharma robes.

After rummaging in a corner for a moment, he picked out a set of extremely exquisite Dharma robes.

This was a Wide-sleeved Flowing Immortal Dress woven from Tianshan Snow Silkworm Silk mixed with Nine Nether Fire Phoenix Feathers, displaying a gradient of light moon-white and pale pink.

Not only was it impervious to water and fire and untainted by dust, but it could also automatically adjust its size according to the wearer's body.

"Take this and let her change into it." Xu Chen handed the magnificent Dharma robe to Ji Qingyun and added, "This girl is strong. Tell her this dress is very sturdy, so she doesn't need to worry about breaking it and can wear it with ease."

Ji Qingyun took the Dharma robe, nodded with a smile, and turned toward Tuoba You by the spring.

Xu Chen consciously withdrew from the inner courtyard, standing by a broken stone lion outside the gate, dutifully acting as a guard.

From within the courtyard walls, the sound of splashing water and Tuoba You's silver-bell-like laughter soon drifted out.

Ji Qingyun's gentle voice occasionally mixed in, as if she were teaching the girl how to use the cleansing soaps and fragrant oils.

Leaning against the stone lion and listening to the soft, feminine voices from across the wall, Xu Chen couldn't help but imagine the scene of two stunning bodies playing in the spring.

One was the cold and ethereal Creation Green Lotus, and the other was the wild and innocent loli of monstrous strength.

With these two completely different sceneries together, even someone with his deep composure felt the Pure Yang Qi within his body stir slightly.

A full half-hour passed.

The sound of water in the courtyard finally ceased.

"Big Brother, we're done washing!"

Accompanied by Tuoba You's energetic call, the half-closed, broken wooden door of the courtyard was gently pushed open.

Xu Chen looked over at the sound and couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.

Ji Qingyun was still in her elegant water-blue dress, holding Tuoba You's hand like a gentle older sister. But Tuoba You, walking beside her, looked like a completely different person!

Having shed the coarse, dirty beast skins and washed away the blood and grime from her face, the girl's true appearance was finally revealed without reservation under the sunlight.

That baby face with a hint of baby fat had skin as white as a freshly peeled lychee, glowing with a healthy pink luster. Crystal droplets of water slid down her smooth black hair, dripping onto her full collarbones.

The flowing immortal dress, woven with light moon-white and pale pink, fit her body perfectly.

Xu Chen recalled the string of "foul-play" stats displayed on the System panel.

Seeing it with his own eyes now, he understood what true visual impact was!

Although she was only 1.58 meters tall with a delicate frame, her figure was so full and graceful it was astounding.

Her slender waist, which could be encircled by a single hand, formed a sharp contrast with her stunning curves. Her innocent face, combined with such a hot figure, interpreted the concept of "pure desire" to a height rarely reached by ordinary people.

This was no longer the wild girl rolling in the mud; she was clearly a peerless little fairy who had snuck down from the Nine Heavens' Jade Pool to the mortal realm!

Tuoba You felt a bit uneasy being stared at so intently by Xu Chen.

She was very unaccustomed to this lightweight, slippery fabric on her body.

She carefully pinched the hem of her skirt, her walking posture becoming stiff, fearing that one burst of strength would tear this impossibly beautiful dress to shreds.

"Big Brother..." Tuoba You walked up to Xu Chen, looking up with her flushed face, her eyes filled with a bit of awkwardness and self-doubt. "Sister Qingyun said this dress is very pretty. But it's so light, Youyou feels a bit chilly. Does Youyou look strange wearing this?"

Her large, fawn-like eyes were full of anxiety, fearing she would hear even a single "no" from Xu Chen.

Xu Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the slight throb of amazement in his heart.

He strode forward, not holding back his words of praise.

"Strange? Who would dare say our Youyou looks strange?" Xu Chen's voice was full of wonder and doting, his deep eyes reflecting the little girl's charming appearance. "My Youyou wearing this dress could practically outshine the daylight in this Forbidden Zone. In this world, there isn't another girl more vibrant than you!"

Xu Chen spoke these words bluntly and warmly, without a hint of insincerity.

This was a 96-score beauty officially recognized by the System; this face that stunned the ages was worthy of any grand rhetoric.

Hearing such direct praise from her Big Brother, Tuoba You's fair little face instantly flushed bright red.

The alluring blush spread along her cheeks, even tinting her translucent earlobes and slender neck with a charming pink. The vocabulary she had heard since childhood was pitifully small, and she had no idea how to respond to such praise.

She only felt her heart beating so fast it was about to jump out of her throat; she felt lightheaded and happier than if she had eaten ten roasted Golden-Horned Fire Bulls!

"Re... Really?"

Tuoba You lowered her head shyly, her chin almost touching her chest, her small hands having nowhere to go but to twist together tightly.

"Of course it's true." Xu Chen smiled and reached out, gently pinching her soft, pink cheek. "Big Brother never lies. You'll wear this dress from now on; we don't want those ragged beast skins anymore. If this one gets ruined, Big Brother has hundreds more in his Storage Ring for you to change into."

Tuoba You suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling, and nodded her little head vigorously.

As long as Big Brother liked it, she would wear it every day, no matter how unaccustomed she was to it!

Standing to the side, Ji Qingyun watched their intimate interaction, the smile on her lips growing even gentler.

She stepped forward, carefully tucking a stray lock of hair behind Tuoba You's ear, and reminded softly, "Husband, Youyou just finished bathing. Let's go into the ancient temple first. Staying out in this cold wind for too long isn't good for the body."

Xu Chen pulled back his playful expression and nodded.

Although this area was temporarily free from the intrusion of Death Qi, the grand temple standing silently ahead emitted a faint, heart-palpitating ancient ripple.

"Let's go and see what good things are hidden inside this old Great Emperor's coffin."

Xu Chen naturally took the hands of Ji Qingyun and Tuoba You.

Two beauties, one tall and one small, stood on either side. Because she was afraid of ruining her dress, Tuoba You obediently let Xu Chen lead her; her small hand, which could have smashed mountains, felt exceptionally docile and soft in Xu Chen's palm.

The three of them set off, walking slowly toward the main gate of the ancient temple that had been silent for tens of thousands of years, facing the dim afternoon light.

The heavy bronze doors were covered in mottled verdigris and carved with complex and profound Archaic Formation Patterns.

Xu Chen had just reached the door, and before he could even activate his Heavenly Dao Divine Pupils to search for the opening mechanism...

That giant bronze door, which seemed welded shut by time, actually emitted a dull boom and opened on its own, revealing a deep crack!

A desolate aura, sealed for endless ages and mixed with a hair-raising, bone-chilling cold, whistled out from the crack in the door.