Xiao Chen swiftly climbed the ancient tree and snatched the gossamer veil into his hands. It was a face-covering scarf—smooth, impossibly soft, light as if it weighed nothing—the finest silk imaginable.
Embroidered upon it was a phoenix, half-hidden, half-revealed, so lifelike that it seemed to breathe. Suddenly, a familiar image flashed through Xiao Chen's mind: a graceful, slender woman, her face draped in just such a veil...
He remembered clearly. The Royal Celestial Maiden, Zhao Lin'er, had always worn a phoenix veil like this one.
Could Zhao Lin'er have entered the World of Immortality as well?
In an instant, he recalled the scene of that day. He and Zhao Lin'er had charged up to the mountain peak one after the other, not far apart. At that moment, the divine maiden Lan Nuo had shattered the void. A blaze of brilliant light had erupted, shrouding the entire summit in a sublime, sacred radiance. He had been caught in that glow and drawn into the World of Immortality. Could it be that Zhao Lin'er had been passively brought into this realm as well? The more he thought, the more likely it seemed.
This was no longer the Mortal World. Zhao Lin'er's status as the Royal Celestial Maiden meant nothing here. If he found her on this island, he could deal with her as he wished.
Not long ago, Xiao Chen had been the hunted. If Zhao Lin'er had truly entered the World of Immortality, then their roles would be completely reversed.
Yet Xiao Chen did not wish to meet her so soon. She was a genuine expert, and with his body still injured, he would struggle to match her.
Five days. He needed only five days. Once his recovery was complete, he would no longer fear the Royal Celestial Maiden.
Two days passed peacefully. Zhao Lin'er did not appear.
The veil might have been carried here by the fierce wind that night. Perhaps she was in a distant part of the island. Still, Xiao Chen believed that if she were alive, they would eventually meet on this island.
For now, the Eight-Armed Malignant Dragon guarded the coast, seldom venturing far into the sea. Xiao Chen had no desire to take that risk again. When that primordial beast went berserk, it could destroy heaven and earth.
The tiny point of light in the Shangqiu acupoint of his left foot seemed to have fused perfectly with the acupoint itself. The silver dot was the acupoint; the acupoint was the silver dot—inseparable. Yet even now, Xiao Chen did not know what function it served. He could no longer sense the vast life energy that had once been there, nor any other peculiar quality.
These past two days, he had cultivated diligently, and his body had recovered smoothly.
Gentle moonlight flowed like water, draping the forest in a faint veil of silver. Xiao Chen stood by the small lake, its surface as bright as a mirror. His long, powerful frame remained utterly still as he guided the moonbeams into his body.
Faint, almost invisible trails of sacred light circulated within him. Moonlight essence nourished his flesh like sweet nectar, coating his organs, bones, and blood with a layer of precious radiance...
Time seemed to stand still. Xiao Chen was immersed in the exquisite realm of cultivation. More and more moonlight gathered around him, forming a hazy halo that made his entire being emit a soft glow. He entered an ethereal state. Though his eyes were closed, every object around him appeared clearly in his mind, giving him an air of weightless grace.
Suddenly, he sensed something approaching from deep within the forest. Then, a strange scene unfolded before his inner sight. A small horse, pure white as snow, flew across the treetops, stepping lightly from crown to crown.
It was a startling sight.
The foal was young, no more than a meter tall, but extraordinarily mystical. Its snow-white body shimmered with a crystalline luster, as if carved from the finest mutton-fat jade. More striking still, a single translucent jade horn grew from its forehead, making it seem even more divine and otherworldly.
It came upon the moonbeams, galloping lightly over the forest canopy, its form silhouetted against the gentle moonlight. It was utterly transcendent, breathtakingly noble.
A young celestial horse! Xiao Chen's heart trembled with shock.
The foal circled the small lake, picking its way over the treetops, stealing glances at Xiao Chen, who was shrouded in moonlight. Its large eyes, black as gemstones, brimmed with curiosity.
Xiao Chen pretended not to notice, not wanting to startle it. He continued drawing in the misty moonlight. Milky white rays like rippling water surrounded him, filling the area with dense spiritual energy and a sacred, peaceful aura.
The foal seemed eager to approach but hesitant. It watched Xiao Chen carefully with its bright eyes. Only when it was sure he was harmless did it leap onto a towering tree not far from him.
Then Xiao Chen witnessed its extraordinary nature again. The jade horn on its head could gather moonlight. The radiant glow that had gathered around Xiao Chen was partially diverted by that horn. The foal's body became even more translucent, its surface shimmering with a faint, divine light. Truly miraculous.
When Xiao Chen ceased his cultivation, the foal fled like a startled rabbit, leaping across the treetops and vanishing into the forest as a streak of silver light. It was incredibly fast.
Xiao Chen smiled. What an interesting and endearing little celestial horse.
Over the next two days, the foal appeared regularly at the small lake, sharing the spiritual energy that Xiao Chen gathered. At dawn, morning rays; by day, the essence of plants; at night, moonlight. It slowly learned the rhythm and grew bolder.
Xiao Chen did not try to capture the celestial horse. First, he was not certain he could catch it. Second, even if he forced such a spiritual creature into submission, it would never truly yield. He was waiting for the right moment.
Nearly ten days had passed since he first arrived on this mysterious island. Xiao Chen's injuries had completely healed.
A flurry of wings sounded from the nearby grove as countless seabirds took flight, startled into the sky. The little horse, carved from jade, fled like a silver beam across the treetops. Xiao Chen sensed someone approaching.
The newcomer moved with incredible speed, like a fleeting shadow crossing the forest in an instant. Then, from a distance, they stood facing Xiao Chen.
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