After making it out of Weakwater and stepping onto solid ground again, Evan Chu was awash in emotion. He hadn’t just claimed the Water Spirit Pearl—he’d also walked away with the Sunflare Bead and the Metal Crystal. Such luck was almost absurd, as if fate itself had decided to tip the scales in his favor.
If he’d used Fireshift to kill Doran, the Blacksteel King, right from the start, that monster would’ve escaped for sure. Evan would never have reached that hidden cavern, nor gotten his hands on the treasures he needed. Even Shadow, his Bloodshadow Berserker Lion, had scored a massive windfall.
Evan glanced down at the ink-black river, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He quickly schooled his expression and looked off into the distance—he knew someone was anxiously waiting for him, heart burning with worry. Of course, that someone was Selena.
He stretched his body and sprinted along the riverbank. It wasn’t that Evan didn’t want to fly—he just wasn’t used to it yet. His flying speed couldn’t compare to his Fireshift movement, and now, with the Goldenwing Roc power running through him, he was even faster than before.
A dozen miles was nothing to Evan Chu. He’d already deactivated the Goldscale Coat’s protective light, letting the wind whistle past his ears and leaving a trail of afterimages in his wake.
Soon, he spotted Selena’s silhouette—she was floating in midair, watching the river’s surface for any sign of movement. The moment Evan appeared, she couldn’t hide her relief and flew straight toward him.
Seeing Evan Chu safe and sound, Selena finally let out a sigh of relief. Before she could speak, Evan grinned and said, "Xuan’er, sorry to make you worry!"
"It’s nothing. As long as you’re alright, that’s all that matters! Did you get the Water Spirit Pearl?" Selena asked, though the look on Evan’s face already told her the answer.
"Luck didn’t let me down. I got the Water Spirit Pearl—and you wouldn’t believe it, there’s a whole clan of metal beasts in Weakwater. Their strength is insane, and the king’s power is nearly on par with yours," Evan said.
Selena stared at him, stunned. "Then how did you get the Water Spirit Pearl—and how did you escape from him?"
Evan quickly explained how he’d dealt with Doran, the Blacksteel King, and how he’d managed to trade for the Water Spirit Pearl. He kept quiet about the Metal Crystal and Sunflare Bead for now.
After hearing Evan’s story, Selena was amazed. She’d never imagined he could be so cunning and resourceful.
"Let’s head back. Claire Ouyang and the others are probably worried sick waiting for us. Once we’re back, I need to shut myself in for a while—after my strength rises again, we’ll search for the entrance to the Azure Tide Ruins," Evan said.
Just then, Goldwing landed in front of them. Having a flying beast made it easy for Evan and Selena to return to the Mermaid Kingdom’s capital, even in the dead of night.
Once inside the palace, Claire Ouyang and the others were already asleep. Evan and Selena each returned to their own rooms—after all, their relationship hadn’t reached the point where they could share a bed yet.
Entering his room, Evan found Claire Ouyang asleep at her desk. For a Divine Martial expert like her, this was rare—she must have worried herself sick and hadn’t slept all night.
Evan gently picked up a cloak from the bed and draped it over Claire’s shoulders. His movements were soft, but still managed to wake her.
"Who’s there?" Evan stood behind her, so she hadn’t seen him and spoke up instinctively.
But when Claire saw the man she’d been thinking about day and night, she was so shocked she couldn’t say a word.
After a few seconds, Claire finally managed, "Lin Feng, you’re back?" She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was seeing things.
"Claire, I’m back. You look thinner since I left—have you missed me that much?" Evan said, pulling her into his arms.
Nestled in the arms of the man she loved, Claire felt an overwhelming warmth. All the longing and worry of the past few days simply melted away.
"Of course I missed you—I think about you every moment. After you left, Father told me that Weakwater is home to fearsome beasts. I was so worried, but now you’re back safe. Did you get the Water Spirit Pearl?" Claire asked softly.
"I did. If it weren’t for your Goldscale Coat, I never could have gotten it. You deserve a lot of the credit!" Evan said, then took the Goldscale Coat from his neck and put it on Claire.
"You’re not as strong as me—why not keep it for yourself? The supreme Yin poison in my body is gone, so the Goldscale Coat isn’t much use to me anymore," Claire said.
"Only you truly suit the Goldscale Coat—it shows off your peerless beauty," Evan said, gently stroking Claire’s hair.
"Evan, I... I want you," Claire whispered, her cheeks flushed and her voice barely audible.
Evan knew well the sweetness of newlywed bliss—it was a feeling one could never tire of. He smiled and said, "Since my bride needs me, I’ll do my best to satisfy you."
Evan swept Claire into his arms and carried her to the bed. What followed was a passionate, adult embrace—her cries of pleasure grew louder with each moment.
No one knows how long their passion lasted, but at last they lay spent in each other’s arms. "Evan, you’re amazing. I truly can’t satisfy you alone... Maybe you should win Selena’s heart too. Don’t worry—I’d be happy to serve you together with her."
Her words were both bold and generous. Evan, for his part, longed for Selena too, but the gulf between them was still too wide—a chasm only time and greater strength could bridge.
"Let’s talk about it later. Get some good sleep—I’ll be going into seclusion for a while starting tomorrow. Can you let Father and Mother know?" Evan said, getting out of bed.
"Evan, where are you going?" Claire asked.
"I’m going to check on Alex Xiao—I’m not sure how she’s doing. After all, the Violet Thunder Fox is just next door, and I want to see if she’s broken through after absorbing the beast core."
Evan opened the door and saw Alex Xiao still sitting quietly on the bed, absorbing energy. The Flame Spider’s beast core was nowhere to be seen—she’d clearly finished refining it and was now circulating her power internally.
Just as Evan was about to leave, Alex called out, "Big Bro, since you’ve come in, why leave so soon?"
Evan smiled, "I thought you were still cultivating and didn’t want to disturb you. How do you feel now?"
Alex hopped off the bed and stood before Evan. "Big Bro, I’ve made a breakthrough—and I’ve grown my fifth tail! Take a look, do you see anything different about me?"
She spun around in front of Evan, who couldn’t help but notice how much more beautiful and dreamlike she’d become—he felt an almost irresistible urge to pull her into his arms.
"What’s this?" Evan asked.
"My charm arts have reached a new level. You’d better be careful, or I might just eat you up!" Alex teased.
Evan felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead as Alex’s words sent shivers up his spine.