Chapter 87: The Gourd of the Elemental Atlas-You Coward, How Dare You Try to Assassinate Me!(Pumpkin and millet porridge)

Late at night, the rain showed no sign of letting up.

Xia Ningshang sat cross-legged by the fire, channeling her energy to heal her wounds. She had killed many, and after the magic dragon spear’s rebound, her condition was actually better than before. If not for that sword fanatic’s strike, she might have already fought her way out.

Sadly, she had lingered in Tianjue Mountain for so long that the paths out were likely blocked by people from the martial world. No matter which way she tried to leave, she would have to confront them—perhaps even find the sword fanatic waiting on the road.

If she wanted the White Tiger Army’s help, she would have to break through the sword fanatic’s blockade.

But that fool… Xia Ningshang couldn’t quite fathom his state.

Thinking of this, she glanced at Ji Huo, who lay unconscious.

His chest wound was so deep she could see his heart beating—a half-ruined heart. By all rights, he should have bled out, and no matter how hard the heart beat, if there was no blood, it was useless. Yet Ji Huo hadn’t died.

Moreover, after he woke up earlier, his condition seemed to stabilize.

Such a terrifying body made Xia Ningshang seriously doubt whether this man was human. She had killed monsters before; even monsters died if their hearts were pierced.

She knew a bit of medicine. If she encountered Ji Huo’s case in Dragon Kingdom, as the attending doctor, she would have already notified the family. And, to prevent any curse from spreading, sent him straight to the crematorium.

It was absurd!

Even now, Xia Ningshang couldn’t decide whether Ji Huo had seen her and deliberately dragged her into trouble, or if he was simply... simply...

She couldn’t quite tell.

“Mm…”

Just as she was staring at him, Ji Huo suddenly moaned.

Xia Ningshang squinted, watching: Was the fool dreaming of something indecent?

Then she saw Ji Huo’s eyes tightly closed, his face flushed with an unnatural red, soft moans escaping his lips.

Her look of disdain grew sharper. She glanced him over, then suddenly felt something was off.

He had no blood left. How could he dream of something indecent? There wasn’t even enough blood to stir him.

She leaned closer, touching Ji Huo’s forehead. Instantly, she was both annoyed and amused: Well then, he’s running a high fever.

A first-class master with a high fever—what an embarrassment.

Probably from soaking in the river earlier, plus the curse and the serious injury, his body’s functions had dropped… Xia Ningshang mused.

She turned to look at Ji Huo, feverish and restless, feeling a secret delight. Whether he was faking or not, she enjoyed the sight and almost wanted to laugh.

She didn’t worry in the least. His heart had a hole and he hadn’t died; she didn’t believe a mere fever would finish him.

If that were true, it only meant first-class masters these days were terribly fragile—dying from a fever.

She imagined bragging about it to her brother once she returned to Dragon Kingdom, having a good laugh together.

But then she remembered how her brother had fevers as a child. The siblings had depended on each other, and she had stayed by his side for a whole day to nurse him through it.

Afterward, she suspected the fever had fried his brain—always worrying about her safety when she went out, and fretting over any pretty boy who came near.

It was exhausting.

Maybe seeing Ji Huo feverish put her in an excellent mood. She didn’t bother moving away, instead settling beside him and idly poking the fire.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when suddenly her shoulder felt heavy.

Xia Ningshang: (→_→)

You’re taking advantage of me, aren’t you!

She pushed Ji Huo’s head away; it didn’t budge. Blood trickled from his mouth onto her clothes.

Here, blood meant blood and saliva.

Xia Ningshang: “……”

“Smack!”

A crisp slap rang out.

Ah, that’s better.

…

In the morning, sunlight streamed through the cave entrance, making Ji Huo’s eyes ache. The softness behind his head and the familiar fragrance at his nose made him wish for more sleep.

But the sunlight was too bright, forcing him to open his eyes.

He was greeted by a face very close to his own, strands of hair falling gently, as if connecting them.

That sleeping face, breathing softly with a slight snore.

A breathtaking face, delicate nose, so close it almost touched his own.

Ji Huo stared for thirty seconds, his nose filled with the pleasant scent, his mind blank for a moment.

He shifted his gaze to the rising sun. The sunlight was fiery red, dyeing the sky crimson.

Purple clouds from the east!

Good fortune!

A star of luck shines!

Today, I’m the luckiest!

For some reason, Ji Huo felt his luck had exploded.

His mind sank inward, and he eagerly reached for the long-unused spinning wheel in a corner.

With a whir, the golden flag on the wheel fluttered, emblazoned with familiar words:

“No cheating! Guaranteed prize!”

Perhaps because his luck had improved, Ji Huo felt the flag waved faster, flames seemed to flicker around it.

“I want to draw a prize!” Ji Huo clenched his fist and swung it down.

The thing was like a high-stakes gamble, addictive.

The golden wheel spun wildly, faster and faster, even the pointer leaped about as if sparks would fly any second.

“Clang clang clang!”

As the wheel slowed, it clicked as if forcibly jamming.

Ji Huo finally read the words on the wheel. The pointer drifted to a purple zone, where it said…

“Swallow…”

“Heaven…”

“Demon…”

Ji Huo grew more excited as he recited, his tone distorted, blood pressure soaring—even though his real body had lost all its blood.

“Eh… wait!”

The wheel kept turning, leaving the purple zone and stopping at a tiny pitch-black segment.

The area was so small he couldn’t read the tiny lettering.

Ji Huo: “……”

System: “……”

Several seconds passed before the system’s prompt arrived, distant and slow:

[Congratulations! You have won the prize: ‘Elemental Atlas’ Gourd]

[Item: ‘Elemental Atlas’ Gourd]

[Rank: None]

[Description: Contains one portion of ‘Elemental Atlas’ Dao resonance. Uses (0/1).]

Ji Huo’s mouth opened slightly. He suddenly felt he had drawn something extraordinary.

The wheel vanished, replaced by a vermillion gourd dropping before him.

“How do I use this thing?”

Ji Huo aimed the gourd’s mouth at himself, and with a sudden breath, a stream of energy rushed into his mind.

[Ding! Detected cultivation method: ‘Elemental Atlas’!]

[Learn?]

[Warning: This cultivation method exceeds the current world’s limitation! Forced learning may cause unknown effects!]

Three bright red warnings popped up in succession, making Ji Huo’s heart race and a sense of unease creep in.

He was silent for two seconds, then suddenly broke into a brilliant smile. If Little Red Candy were here, she would stay far away—he looked absolutely mad.

“In that case,”

Ji Huo smiled at the void, as if gazing at some unknowable, unseeable, unobservable, unthinkable existence.

“Let me face the winds of destiny head-on.”

“Confirm learning!”