“I think I know who Long Chen is giving this gift to,” exclaimed Tang Wan-er.

“Hehe, don’t make any random guesses.”

Long Chen didn’t say any more about that topic. He felt that Tang Wan-er really had sensed something. He really had no choice but to admire her. A woman’s intuition really was frightening.

Long Chen asked Tang Wan-er, “After you became a Favored, did you feel anything particularly special? Looking at that attack just now, it seems your attacks are a bit different from before!”

Tang Wan-er was excited to talk about becoming a Favored. She told Long Chen that ever since she had absorbed that Dao-mark, she could feel a mysterious energy supporting her.

Her wind blades had also changed. Her control over wind energy had reached a kind of pinnacle, and her wind runes were clearer than ever. In terms of power, they were at least ten times stronger than in the past.

In reality, a Favored’s Dao-mark was a natural mark of the Heavenly Daos. It was extremely ephemeral and mysterious. It was a mysterious existence that occurred with karmic destiny.

When a baby was born, if their karmic luck was great enough, they would receive the approval of the Heavenly Daos, and that natural mark would adhere to their body in order to even further increase their karmic luck.

But this kind of natural Dao-mark wouldn’t stay the same forever. As a person grew, if their karmic luck faded, that Dao-mark would also fade away to find another host or perhaps just disappear back into the heavens.

That was why their Dao-mark would automatically leave their body when they were killed.

A person could forcibly try to absorb that Dao-mark at that time. But as for whether or not you could succeed in having it stay in your body, that would essentially count on your karmic luck.

After that huge battle, three people had had their Dao-marks stolen. But only Tang Wan-er had succeeded in absorbing the Dao-mark. And that was actually extremely lucky.

It was said that the odds of succeeding in absorbing another person’s Dao-mark were less than ten percent. However, once you succeeded, then with the Dao-mark’s karmic luck adding onto your own, your future would be limitless.

That was why Tang Wan-er was so excited. She was also deeply moved, and surprisingly, she held onto Long Chen’s hand warmly. “Thank you, Long Chen. You aren’t even a Favored, but you gave me your chance to become one.”

But just thinking about that actually filled Long Chen with resentment. When Tu Fang had told him to snatch that Dao-mark, he had sensed that it would most likely have no affinity with him.

And as he had expected, Chu Yao had told him that this Dao-mark was something that existed on top of the Dantian’s Spirit Root. If the Spirit Root was likened to a huge tree, then elemental spiritual qi was like the tree’s fruit.

Other than being able to provide more karmic luck, that Dao-mark was also able to change a person’s spiritual qi attribute. It was able to increase the affinity and strength of a person’s elemental attribute by dozens of times.

Chu Yao was an excellent example. She was a wood cultivator, and normal wood cultivators weren’t powerful combat experts. They were generally only capable of assisting the real fighters. Their greatest ability was their ability to heal wounds.

But as a Favored, Chu Yao’s wood energy had changed, containing a trace of metal element.

Metal and wood oppressed each other. It should have fundamentally been impossible to merge them, and yet the power of a Favored could not be judged according to common sense. And that was one of the reasons a Favored’s combat ability was so terrifying.

Once Tang Wan-er had absorbed that Dao-mark, her wind energy had also changed. So, now a random wave of Tang Wan-er’s hand was just as strong as one of her full strength attacks in the past. That was why Tang Wan-er was incredibly grateful to Long Chen.

Long Chen had directly given that Favored’s corpse to her after he had killed him. She hadn’t even known what a Favored’s Dao-mark was, but she had simply listened to what he said.

Only once she had absorbed that Dao-mark had she realized that Long Chen had made a great sacrifice, leaving this huge opportunity to her.

This was also why Chu Yao sensed that Long Chen’s treatment of Tang Wan-er wasn’t just that of two friends. So, she had taken the initiative to form a relationship with her. In reality, Long Chen had been misjudged.

His Dantian was completely empty. Where was there a Spirit Root for that Dao-mark to adhere to? Giving it to Tang Wan-er was simply the right thing to do.

With one hand held by Tang Wan-er, feeling her hand and how exquisitely soft it was, how could Long Chen contain himself?

Gently rubbing Tang Wan-er’s hand, he acted completely infatuated. “If I can use just a Favored’s corpse to exchange for a beauty’s heart, then that really would be worth it. Looks like I’ll need to work harder in the future…”

Tang Wan-er’s face was red from holding Long Chen’s hand. But she also didn’t have the heart to pull away.

But then after Long Chen finished speaking, that bashful, gentle expression completely disappeared. Looking at the infatuated Long Chen, she asked, “Are you thinking of going out to kill a couple more Favored to exchange for some more beauties’ hearts?”

“Of course, of course- aiya!”

Rubbing her jade hand, that feeling really was infatuating for him. He hadn’t noticed that her tone had changed suddenly, and so he had just made a random reply. But then he felt a burst of pain from his waist.

At the same time, he realized that he was unable to move. His body was tightly bound with wooden stakes. Tang Wan-er’s other hand was viciously pinching him on the waist.

“Hey, we were just talking nicely! How do you become so hostile so fast?!” cried Long Chen.

He saw Chu Yao was currently forming a hand seal with a naughty smile as she looked at Long Chen, not saying anything.

Tang Wan-er raged, “I just knew you were a womanizer! With your fickle heart, how are you worthy of big sister Yao-er’s devotion?!”

“Hey! That was just a random reply. I wasn’t serious! Furthermore, you’re clearly the one that’s always seducing me! You’re forcibly captivating me! This is just your trap!” justified Long Chen. With those wooden stakes binding his body, he was unable to move at all.

“What seduction?! Just listening to you is disgusting! Long Chen, you really are wicked!” Tang Wan-er blushed and raged at the same time.

“That was just a slip of the tongue. And even if someone should penalize me, it should be Yao-er. Yao-er, I misspoke, so forgive me. Next time, I definitely won’t.” Long Chen knew Chu Yao was the more kindhearted one. He directly admitted defeat.

And as he had expected, Long Chen’s act of pity really was Chu Yao’s weak point. She was just about to release him.

“Big sister Yao-er, you absolutely can’t listen to him! This fellow is most skilled in putting on an act. Don’t get tricked.” Tang Wan-er really understood Long Chen too well.

Having his trick be so suddenly broken, Long Chen raged, “Have you made a mistake?! This is a matter for a husband and wife, me and Yao-er. Why are you interfering?!”

Chu Yao blushed shyly, but she felt a burst of warmth. From the start, Long Chen had always viewed her that way.

Tang Wan-er righteously replied, “Big sister Yao-er said that when she’s not present, I have to look after you and make sure you don’t go womanizing everywhere.”

“Ah, you gave me to her? Yao-er, aren’t you afraid of her cheating you? Yao-er, let me tell you, she’s been drooling over how handsome I am for a long time- aiya!” Long Chen was once more given a vicious pinch before he could finish speaking.

“Scoundrel, who drooled over you… who would seduce you… I’ll cheat your head off…” Tang Wan-er was really angered now. In between her words, she would give Long Chen a vicious pinch.

Chu Yao was laughing to the side. She knew that Long Chen’s miserable cries were all fake just to intentionally tease them.

With Long Chen’s powerful physical body, not even pliers on his skin would hurt. How could Tang Wan-er’s pinches really hurt that much?

Seeing Long Chen acting like this, Chu Yao also didn’t feel like keeping him bound. Those wooden stakes all became as flexible as rope and returned to the earth, disappearing.

That was enough laughing for now. Holding Chu Yao’s hands, Long Chen began to speak of proper things. “Yao-er, do you really have to return to Skywood Palace so soon? Didn’t you say you could stay at the Xuantian Monastery for a period? I really hate to part with you so soon after we have reunited.”

Chu Yao reddened slightly and gently caressed Long Chen’s cheek. “I also hate to part with you. But if I want to protect you, I need to constantly increase my strength.

“This time, once I return to Skywood Palace, my master has promised me that she will transmit the first volume of the Skywood Sacred Canon to me.

“That’s our Skywood Palace’s absolute secret tome. It is incredibly powerful, and my master said that if I can master the Skywood Sacred Canon, my strength will reach an unprecedented level!”

Long Chen could only nod. There was really nothing that could be done about this. Cultivation was inherently a struggle. They all had to make the most of their time to raise their strength, or they would be thrown behind by others.

“Right, how much do you know about the Jiuli secret realm?” asked Long Chen. Long Chen had essentially only heard its name. He still didn’t know any of the details.

Tang Wan-er was also extremely curious. She said, “I’ve heard that the Jiuli secret realm only opens once every hundred years. There is also a limit on the entrances. Only those in the Tendon Transformation realm and below can enter. Bone Forging experts will only get exterminated if they try to force their way in. I wonder if that’s true?”

Chu Yao solemnly said, “It’s said that the Jiuli secret realm’s restriction is extremely powerful. Even Xiantian experts will definitely die if they try to force their way in.

“Master said that there are many legends about the Jiuli secret realm. Some people said it came from another place, that it is a world that was battered by time and space that eventually arrived here.

“There are also others who say that this was a world created by a great god from ancient times. Normally, it conceals itself in the cracks of the world.

“In short, there are many rumors about it, and it is extremely mysterious. No one really knows where the Jiuli secret realm came from. Only its name is transmitted down generation by generation.

“As for why it’s called the Jiuli secret realm, no one knows. But there is one thing that is certain. My master said that the Jiuli secret realm is definitely extremely ancient. It is essentially its own world. There are many strange beasts living inside.

“There are countless opportunities inside. If you’re strong or lucky enough, you might even obtain a heaven-defying treasure.

“Quite a few disciples have found extremely great treasures within the Jiuli secret realm. And so the Jiuli secret realm has become a land of struggle between the Righteous and Corrupt paths.”

Long Chen’s heart jumped. He hadn’t expected the Jiuli secret realm’s origin to be so mysterious. But for some reason, every time he heard the Jiuli secret realm’s name, his FengFu Star would begin to crazily circulate.

“That’s why you have to work hard, Long Chen. At that time, the peak experts of seven prefectures will gather in the Jiuli secret realm. Experts will cover the land, Favored will be everywhere, and the number of geniuses will be uncountable.”

“Within the Jiuli secret realm, the Righteous and Corrupt disciples will both undergo huge fights, especially when fighting over treasures.

“Furthermore, by now you know that the Righteous path doesn’t only contain righteous people. At that time, you won’t only need to worry about the Corrupt path, but also the sinister tricks of the Righteous disciples.”

Long Chen nodded. He knew that with how completely kindhearted Chu Yao was, that last line had probably been told to her as a warning by her master.

“In order to let you cultivate with your mind at ease, I’ll tell you a certain secret.” A charming light appeared within Chu Yao’s beautiful eyes.