Treasure Map!

"Little Whitie, stay close until I'm finished here, or I'll toast you into a marshmallow," Su Xiaobai warned, his voice carrying a playful yet firm tone.

The wolf cub darted around in excitement, but with a swift motion, Su Xiaobai scooped it into his arms.

"Woof!~"

The cub growled in defiance, its tiny form trembling with frustration, but Su Xiaobai paid it no mind.

His attention shifted to the fainted fairy nearby.

Just as he was about to approach her, a glimmer caught his eye—a treasure map lying discarded on the ground.

He hesitated, instincts guiding him to verify its authenticity first.

Whoosh!

With a mere flick of his fingers, the map flew into his hand.

Su Xiaobai unrolled the ancient scroll, his eyes narrowing as they scanned the intricate details, searching for signs of deception.

"It doesn't seem fake..." he muttered, though he knew that the truth would only reveal itself at the map's destination.

Satisfied, he secured the map and finally turned his gaze to the unconscious woman.

But before tending to her wound, something else drew his attention—a colossal sword, its blade drenched in blood, lying ominously on the ground.

His brow furrowed in thought.

Taking a few cautious steps forward...

Su Xiaobai took a few more cautious steps, and his breath caught in his throat as his gaze finally settled on the woman lying before him.

She was a vision of shattered beauty, a celestial figure marred by the brutal aftermath of battle.

Her once-glorious red armor, which had likely radiated with a fiery brilliance, now lay in fragments across her body.

The crimson armor, now mingling with her blood, added an eerie beauty to the scene, as if flames had seared into her flesh, leaving behind both glory and agony.

Her abdomen was soaked in a deep, dark red, the wound large and untreated, as if a blade had tried to carve out her very essence.

Her legs and hands bore the marks of countless cuts, some shallow, others deep enough to reveal the pale bone beneath.

Her once-pristine skin was now a canvas of blood and dirt, yet it retained an ethereal glow, like the moon veiled behind storm clouds.

Her attire, once a delicate blend of blue and red, was now torn and ragged, barely clinging to her form.

The fabric was frayed, the intricate patterns of flowers and celestial motifs almost indistinguishable.

"Phoenix...?" Su Xiaobai's gaze lingered over the ornate belt on her abdomen.

The emblem of a phoenix was intricately carved into the metal, still gleaming despite the blood and dirt that covered the rest of her.

His eyes narrowed as recognition. "Feng Dynasty...?"

Although Su Xiaobai wasn't well-versed in the intricacies of the Rain Immortal Valley, the last thirty days had taught him enough about the major powers in the continent.

The Feng Dynasty stood as one of the most prominent dynasties within soaring dragon continent, rivaling even the mighty Tian Long Dynasty.

If this woman truly come from the Feng Dynasty, then her status was likely far from ordinary—possibly a noble of high standing, or even a direct descendant of the imperial family.

The implications of this realization made his heart pound with a mixture of anxiety and frustration.

Any plans he had harbored now seemed stupid, on the edge of impossibility.

He had long contemplated what to do with her, weighing his options carefully.

What else...

If not...

Rob the hell out of her!

Sure, the thought of taking everything of value crossed his mind.

In fact, a part of him was carved for her body as well—she was, after all, stunning beauty even in her wounded state.

But the memory of his last encounter with Long Lifen still haunted him.

That terrifying experience had left him wary, and the idea of tangling with another woman of background, seemingly disgusting.

Their personalities are all rotten.

He knew better than to indulge in something he couldn't digest.

Even if he managed to win her favor or subdue her, the powerful family behind her would hunt him down.

No, taking advantage of her physically was out of the question.

As for robbing her, Su Xiaobai found himself torn.

It would be a simple matter to strip her of her belongings while she lay unconscious.

Yet, he hesitated.

The equipment and treasures of the Feng Dynasty were unique, easily traceable even within the vast Tian Long Dynasty.

Selling them would paint a target on his back, drawing unwanted attention from all the wrong people.

Moreover, he had already secured the treasure map.

The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up and pursue him for it, turning a potential ally or neutral party into a vengeful enemy.

"Forget it," he muttered, his voice laced with resignation and malice. "Let's wait until she wakes up. Then, we'll negotiate—her life for better treasures!"

Su Xiaobai moved closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch her delicate face.

As his fingers brushed against her cool skin, a faint stream of energy flowed from his hand into her, surpressing her spirit.

"!!"

Feng Lianhua's eyes fluttered open for the briefest moment, a sharp instinct warning her of an intruder in her mind.

Her self-defense mechanisms kicked in, but she was too weak to resist.

Through her haze, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a face—blurred and indistinct—through her tear-filled eyes before darkness reclaimed her, leaving her body soft and limp.

"Good, now she won't wake up for a few hours..." Su Xiaobai murmured to himself, a sly grin creeping onto his lips as a sudden idea sparked in his mind.

"How about feeding her to Lulu?"

The idea of using the Devouring Thorny Flower to gobble her up and gain some unexpected benefits seemed, at first glance, like sheer genius.

Of course, that's when even the evil spirits around him seemed to collectively shiver and take a polite step back, as if to say, 'Yeah, we want no part of this.'

"Woof! Woof!"

Little Whitie barked furiously as Su Xiaobai summoned the Devouring Thorny Flower, the pup's fur practically standing on end in alarm.

Su Xiaobai, as usual, ignored the warning signs from his overly cautious sidekick.

"Lulu, can you devour her?" he asked, peering at the sinister plant with hopeful anticipation.

"Burp..."

The flower responded with a small, dismissive snort, followed by a burp, as if mocking his request.

Su Xiaobai's face twisted in frustration, and he slapped his forehead in exasperation. "Tch, I'm surrounded by useless creatures!"

He dismissed the flower back into the storage ring and turned his attention back to the unconscious woman.

Left with no other option, Su Xiaobai crouched down next to Feng Lianhua to inspect her injuries.

After a brief moment of hesitation—because there's only so much hesitation you can afford when you're trying to decide whether or not to rob someone—he tore apart the remaining fabric covering her chest and abdomen.

Gulp...

His eyes widened slightly as her milky white skin, soft and supple, came into full view.

There was a thick band of white cloth wrapped around her chest, concealing most of her impressive figure, though it didn't do much to hide the obvious curves.

Su Xiaobai couldn't help but gulp—a completely involuntary reflex, of course.

But admiration was short-lived as his attention was drawn to the bleeding wound on her abdomen.

It was a nasty six-inch gash on the lower right side, likely the result of a wolf's claws.

Her waist, curvaceous and inviting under different circumstances, now seemed frail and pale.