Long Xiaoxiao had been cultivating for much longer than Chu Feng.
It took a full three days before she finally woke up.
When she awoke, the two dragon horns on her head appeared again, glimmering with a faint light.
One should know that, until now, her dragon horns had been concealed.
These horns had to be kept hidden. If they were ever discovered, especially if word reached the Sacred Light Clan, the entire Long family could face utter catastrophe.
Fortunately, Long Xiaoxiao seemed able to control her dragon horns at will.
As the light radiating from her body faded, the horns on her head vanished once more.
Seeing the delighted expression on Long Xiaoxiao’s face, Chu Feng knew she had successfully broken through.
“Xiaoxiao, how much has your cultivation increased?”
Chu Feng asked.
“Seventh-grade Sovereign. Little Benefactor, what about you?”
Long Xiaoxiao asked Chu Feng in return.
“Fifth-grade Sovereign.”
Chu Feng replied.
He had already told Long Xiaoxiao his current cultivation level on the way to the Wish God Palace, so there was no need to hide it now.
“You advanced one grade too? How long did your breakthrough take?”
Long Xiaoxiao asked.
“A little earlier than you.”
Chu Feng said this because he did not want her to feel any burden.
“Hehe, that’s good then.”
“At least I didn’t keep Little Benefactor waiting too long.”
Sure enough, after hearing him say that, the smile on Long Xiaoxiao’s face grew even brighter.
“He finished much earlier than you. It only took him a single hour to comprehend the opportunity within the holy water and complete his breakthrough.”
Suddenly, an aged voice rang out. Unnoticed, the old woman had appeared again.
She was now standing in mid-air.
After saying this, the old woman took out a black gourd.
She pointed the mouth of the gourd towards the lake.
Runes immediately began swirling across its surface.
Whoosh—
The vast waters of the lake surged upwards in reverse. In the blink of an eye, every drop had been sucked into the gourd.
Apart from a deep crater, not a single trace of water remained in this desert. No one could tell that a moment ago, a breathtakingly beautiful lake had stood here.
“Little Benefactor, you lied to me!”
“The senior said you only needed one hour.”
Long Xiaoxiao looked at Chu Feng, pouting with pretended anger.
“It wasn’t really a lie. For martial cultivators, a few days is just a tiny amount of time given how long we live.”
Chu Feng said.
“Hmph.”
Long Xiaoxiao gave a little snort, but very quickly her sulky expression changed. She smiled again, and her smile was exceptionally sweet.
She knew Chu Feng had lied for her sake.
She liked kind little white lies like that.
“Ahem…”
A light cough suddenly sounded. It came from the old woman.
“The previous trial was the tempering process. Passing it earns you a reward.”
“The holy cultivation water you just used was that reward.”
“However, there is one more chance for the two of you to meet my master.”
“There is only one such chance.”
“It will be decided by drawing lots.”
The old woman said.
“Drawing lots?”
“How exactly do we draw?”
Chu Feng asked.
“The method is simple. Whoever spent longer cultivating in the holy water wins.”
“The result is now clear. Long Xiaoxiao has won the chance to meet my master.”
The old woman announced.
“Eh? What kind of drawing lots is this?”
Long Xiaoxiao was utterly stunned.
Clearly, she had wanted to give the opportunity to Chu Feng.
“What, are you unwilling? You can forfeit if you like.”
The old woman said.
“Go on, Xiaoxiao. Don’t waste this chance.”
Seeing the situation, Chu Feng quickly urged her.
Hearing him say that, Long Xiaoxiao immediately turned to the old woman with a beaming smile.
“Oh my, Senior, who said I’m unwilling? I was just amazed. There’s actually a drawing method like this! Granny Wish God really is extraordinary. Even her way of drawing lots is so unique.”
Long Xiaoxiao said with a cheeky grin.
“Enough chatter. Get in.”
As the old woman spoke, she opened a boundary gate.
Long Xiaoxiao stepped straight inside.
Not long after she entered, the old woman followed her through the gate.
Very soon, the old woman returned.
This time she was carrying a bowl filled with a thick, sludgy substance that looked utterly revolting.
“Drink it.”
She said to Chu Feng.
“Why must I drink this?”
Chu Feng had already examined it. The contents did contain some medicinal power, but it was weak, and not only did it look disgusting, it smelled vile too.
Unless he was given a proper reason, Chu Feng had no intention of swallowing something so foul.
“Long Xiaoxiao’s wish was reasonable, so my master granted it.”
“Her wish was for you to regain your original appearance.”
“Drink this, and your true face will be restored.”
The old woman explained.
“That girl, she…”
No matter what, Chu Feng had never expected Long Xiaoxiao to make such a wish.
Granny Wish God possessed incredible abilities; she could fulfil many wishes.
Countless people spent huge sums to obtain a Wish God Pearl and come to the Wish God Palace not just for the trials, but ultimately to become the one person allowed to make a wish to Granny Wish God.
From Chu Feng’s perspective, the wish Long Xiaoxiao had made was a complete waste of that precious opportunity.
Yet his heart felt warm all the same.
He now realised he had still underestimated how much Long Xiaoxiao cared for him.
Long Xiaoxiao was someone willing to pay such an enormous price just to restore his appearance.
After hearing the full story, Chu Feng did not hesitate. He took the bowl and drained it in one gulp.
He also wanted to find out whether Granny Wish God truly possessed such miraculous powers.
After all, he knew full well that restoring his current appearance was no easy feat.
Though the stuff tasted dreadful, the moment it entered his body he could feel a strange energy flowing into his soul.
Chu Feng watched as his body rapidly recovered.
In just a short while, his appearance had completely returned to normal.
He had truly regained his original looks, perfectly and entirely.
“Granny Wish God really is extraordinarily powerful.”
Chu Feng could not help but sigh in admiration.
Dao Sea Immortal Aunt was already a figure of immense ability, yet even she had been powerless to change his appearance.
But Granny Wish God had succeeded where Dao Sea Immortal Aunt could not. That alone proved how formidable she was.
Of course, it was also possible that Dao Sea Immortal Aunt simply wasn’t skilled in boundary techniques, whereas Granny Wish God excelled at them.
The exact reason did not matter.
What mattered was that Chu Feng had finally regained his true face.
Long Xiaoxiao’s wish had not been wasted after all.
“Little Benefactor!”
A sweet voice rang out as Long Xiaoxiao came skipping happily out of the boundary gate.
“Wow, you’ve really got your looks back! How did you do it?”
Seeing Chu Feng restored, Long Xiaoxiao looked utterly amazed, as if she had no idea what had happened.
“Silly girl, don’t pretend. I already know. This senior told me everything.”
“You’re the one who restored my appearance.”
Chu Feng said.
“Senior, we agreed you wouldn’t tell!”
Long Xiaoxiao turned to the old woman.
“Enough. Stop flaunting your lovey-dovey nonsense in front of me. I’m about to puke.”
The old woman said to Long Xiaoxiao and Chu Feng with clear irritation. Then a new boundary gate opened in front of her.
“The trial is over. Get lost.”
She urged them loudly. Her impatience was plainly genuine.
Seeing this, the two of them did not linger. After bidding the old woman farewell, they stepped straight through the boundary gate.
They emerged into another desert, but ahead of them lay a small stretch of jungle.
That was the jungle where the Wish God Palace was located.
Only now, a visible boundary surrounded the jungle.
Chu Feng knew the two of them could no longer return.
“Princess Xiaoxiao, you should head back with your father and the others.”
Chu Feng said to Long Xiaoxiao.
“Little Benefactor, where are you going?”
Long Xiaoxiao asked, then hurriedly added, “Tell me the truth. No lying this time.”
“I’ve made enemies of the Yu Heavenly Clan and the Cloudsky Immortal Sect.”
“Given the way clans like theirs operate, and with people like Fu Feiyue and Yu Hong involved, they will never let this go.”
“I don’t want to drag all of you into it, so I’ll leave on my own. We were going to part ways anyway.”
Chu Feng explained.
“No way. We agreed we’d come together and leave together.”
“Besides, my father is here. I don’t believe they’d dare touch you with him around.”
“Little Benefactor, you have to come with me, or I’ll feel terrible.”
“Because in the end, I’m the one who started the trouble with them. I struck first.”
As she finished speaking, Long Xiaoxiao suddenly grabbed Chu Feng’s arm and hugged it tightly to her chest.
“I don’t care. We’re going together. Otherwise… I’ll tie you up and drag you back.”
“Anyway, my cultivation is higher than yours now.”
Long Xiaoxiao declared while clinging to his arm.
“Alright, alright, we’ll go together.”
Chu Feng sounded helpless, but the corners of his mouth curved upwards into a faint smile.
