"Did we do it?" Li Mengnan's eyes widened, her heart on high alert.

The enormous beast collapsed with a crash, falling completely silent, leaving only the blazing silver flames spreading upward along the sword embedded in its skull.

Li Mengnan hurriedly pulled out her longsword, only to find she had a "Fire Sword" in her grasp.

The dazzling silver fire was relentless, crawling up toward the hilt as if determined to burn Li Mengnan's hand.

"Really persistent, aren't you?" Li Mengnan gave a little bounce, jumped off the Moonlit Bear, and casually stabbed the Fire Sword into the ground.

Wind Witch flew over instantly, circling Li Mengnan's head with joy.

"Hehe~" Li Mengnan had a sweet smile too; the tension, excitement, and fear from the battle all turned into pride and satisfaction now that it was done.

She scooped up Wind Witch, gave it a little pinch in her palm, then looked ahead.

Du Yu was sitting on the ground, head bowed, eyes closed, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

Li Mengnan looked a bit strange; through the burning bear's corpse, Du Yu's figure flickered amid the heat waves and flames. This scene… actually looks kind of cool?

Coincidentally, Little You Ying was also spinning circles next to Du Yu's face.

Unlike Wind Witch circling heads, Little You Ying spun in place, almost like a special celebration dance.

"Second Bro!" Li Mengnan strode forward quickly. "We won! You okay?"

"Yeah." Du Yu tried to open his eyes, but all he saw was a blurry image.

Guess I still can't be too cocky...

Since advancing to Demon Tamer Journeyman, Du Yu's physical fitness had improved a lot; after using the Eye of Burning Sun, his vision usually recovered within three seconds.

But if he kept activating Hunting Moment, the aftereffects seemed a bit much.

Not only was his vision blurred, he also felt tired—he just wanted to sleep on the spot.

Li Mengnan had been delighted, but now she looked worried. She crouched down, carefully studying Du Yu. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine, go get the Demon Crystal first." Du Yu covered his face with one hand, rubbing his temples with his middle finger and thumb.

"Did your eyes get hurt? Let me see."

Du Yu replied softly, "Don't worry, I'm not hurt. Just a bit tired. Maybe I haven't been resting well these days."

Li Mengnan scowled at Du Yu, muttering, "I keep telling you to balance work and rest! Who cultivates day and night like this? If you keep it up, your body's going to collapse."

"Mm-hmm." Du Yu nodded perfunctorily. "Hurry and get the Demon Crystal."

Still grumbling, Li Mengnan turned and walked over to the Moonlit Bear.

Little Fen Yang: "Sister Mengnan really cares about us!"

"Mm..."

"Du Yu, Du Yu~" Little Fen Yang's voice sounded excited. "I think you're about to advance again!"

"Really?" Du Yu felt uncertain—right now he just felt exhausted and weak.

"Mm-hmm! Feed me a fruit, and I'll help you cultivate."

Du Yu: "..."

While Du Yu got up and went to his backpack to find a snack for Little Fen Yang, Li Mengnan had already pulled out the bloodstained Demon Crystal and strode toward the lake.

She rinsed the Demon Crystal in the water, then lifted the baseball-sized crystal, holding it up to the sun.

The Demon Crystal, which should have been crystal clear, was instead cloudy with layers of gray mist—clearly that disgusting Cold Qi.

Li Mengnan seemed to think of something, and called, "Second Bro."

"Huh?"

Li Mengnan: "During your recent cultivation, have you encountered any Cold Qi?"

At her words, Du Yu paused, thinking carefully for a moment. "Actually, I haven't."

"That's weird." Li Mengnan returned, puzzled. "Usually, even after a week of hard cultivation, you'd run into at least a trace of Cold Qi. But both of us have been cultivating in this Demon Spirit Realm for two weeks, and neither of us has seen any?"

There had to be Cold Qi in the Demon Spirit Realm. Otherwise, the Moonlit Bear couldn't have lost its mind and gone berserk.

Du Yu didn't know why either. He hoisted his backpack, "No idea. Let's go. The soldiers will collect the bear's corpse."

The Moonlit Bear was valuable all over, but this was the Newbie Demon Spirit Realm. Besides the Demon Crystal, nothing else could be taken.

Li Mengnan: "Mm, homeward!"

Du Yu suddenly paused, looking at Li Mengnan as she tossed the Demon Crystal in her hands. "Let's go to the Twin Trees."

"Huh?" Li Mengnan's face fell, unhappy. "The day after tomorrow's the tournament! We're not going back? We're sleeping under the tree tonight?"

Du Yu grinned sheepishly. "I think I'm about to advance."

Li Mengnan's eyes widened slightly. "How are you so fast?"

Well... actually, that made sense. Given Du Yu's talent and how hard he worked, it'd be weird if he wasn't fast.

Li Mengnan pouted. "Fine. But we agreed: no matter if you advance or not, you HAVE to sleep at night!"

"Mm-hmm!"

...

The next morning.

Sunlight shone on the Twin Trees, but couldn't pass through the dense branches to the shoulders of those beneath.

Du Yu leaned against the giant tree, head tilted, hugging the gently glowing Little You Ying in his arms. The two of them, master and beast, slept soundly.

Beside him, Li Mengnan was in her sleeping bag, head resting on a chubby Little Orange Pig, a Wind Witch spread out as an eye mask on her face, and Little Fire Fox cuddled in her arms, sleeping deeply.

The picture was peaceful and lovely, except...

"Hah!" Du Yu suddenly sucked in a breath, eyes snapping open as he looked down at his left hand.

Beneath his skin, an orange-red light flickered.

Feeling the surges of energy, Li Mengnan blinked drowsily awake and immediately sat up.

The Wind Witch that had been her eye mask slid off, and she caught it in her hand.

Seeing Du Yu's glowing skin, Li Mengnan blurted out, "What's happening?"

Du Yu's voice stuttered, "Ad-advancing."

Li Mengnan's eyes sparkled, and she didn't even think about going back to sleep—she hugged Xiaoyan with one arm, lazily ruffled her hair with the other, and watched Du Yu up close.

As expected, Second Bro really is reliable—when he says he'll advance, he really does!

Li Mengnan was gleeful inside, but then her heart sank. Did he not sleep again last night?

Absolute maniac! Cultivating like his life doesn't matter!

No way! After he advances, I have to take him to the hotel and make sure he sleeps all day!

The tournament's right around the corner. What if he faints on the battleground?

As Li Mengnan fretted, Du Yu wobbled and stood up.

Advancing within the Demon Tamer Journeyman stage caused way more commotion than when he was a Demon Tamer Prentice!

Even the Twin Trees sensed the being below was about to break through physical limits. As Mother of the Demon Spirit Realm, she kindly sent a wave of pure Demon Breath straight to Du Yu's location.

This surge was especially dense—the air seemed to condense like water.

With Du Yu stretching and yawning fiercely, a wave of pure Fire Demon Breath finally burst out.

Advancement!

Demon Tamer Journeyman · Minor Achievement!

"Ah~" Du Yu leaned back comfortably, his back against the tree, sliding down to sit.

Wake up and stretch, and boom, you've advanced—who could believe it?

"Thanks, Little Fen Yang."

"No thanks needed, no thanks needed." Little Fen Yang sounded very satisfied, even burping, "Burp~"

Du Yu: "..."

Must be full now?

Li Mengnan looked at Du Yu lounging contentedly and knew Second Bro had made it. She immediately called out, "Let's go—back to the hotel."

Du Yu opened his eyes, confused. "What's up?"

Li Mengnan looked at him, amused and exasperated. "I'm begging you. Just get a good night's sleep, please? Whatever room you want, I'll book it for you!"

Du Yu scratched his head awkwardly. "Let's go. I'll sleep at Xishu Garden, it's fine. Don't worry, I PROMISE I'll sleep well."

Wow~

Everyone else tries to push people to train, but Li Mengnan nags him to sleep every day…

Li Mengnan turned around and picked up her chubby "pillow," pouting, "Look at Little Orange Pig—he sleeps for days and can't even be bothered to wake up."

Li Mengnan wasn't exaggerating. Little Orange Pig... really had been sleeping all along!

It's been half a month—it hadn't participated in any battles, and Du Yu had never seen it awake.

Sleeping itself isn't what made people jealous—the key is, the Orange Pig clan has a special trait: they can grow while sleeping!

The Creator gave Little Orange Pig an incredibly lazy nature, but also an unimaginable way of growing.

It's like a kind of "newbie protection period." Once the Orange Pig clan reaches the Heavenly Level, they slowly lose the ability to grow while sleeping. At the same time, Heavenly Level Orange Pigs don't stay particularly lazy anymore, either.

The timing's just perfect—truly magical.

Li Mengnan picked up Little Orange Pig and pulled out a few biscuits from her backpack, nudging them at its snout.

"Hmph~" Little Orange Pig snuffled, sweeping the biscuits right into its mouth.

Have you ever seen a creature eat snacks while sleeping?

Little Orange Pig never even woke up; not to mention eating, it probably had no idea it'd been used as a pillow all night…

"Time for breakfast, You Ying, come here~" Li Mengnan called to the little torch next to Du Yu, "One more meal before we part—when you're back, help me make sure your master gets some proper sleep, okay?"

Little You Ying blinked its big eyes, hovering in front of Li Mengnan, spinning in place and dancing its adorable little dance.

Ghost Firefly really liked this new big sister. She always had treats. But Ghost Firefly never clung to Li Mengnan. On the contrary, whenever Xiaoyan wasn't by her master's side, she'd seize the chance to snuggle in Du Yu's arms.

Every so often, she'd let out a puff of energy, making her master retch—which Ghost Firefly found deeply satisfying.

But under the Twin Trees, Ghost Firefly didn't dare act up. Ever since her last explosion got her master thrown out by the trees, she'd kept her act clean beneath them.

"Mmm~" Wind Witch nearby floated over too, circling Ghost Firefly and waiting for her master to feed her.

As for Emperor Yan, she never had to beg for food. Just like Sleeping King Pig, someone would hand-deliver treats to her every time.

Du Yu leaned against the tree, looking back at the scene in a bit of a daze.

At dawn, beneath the beautiful Twin Trees—

All the little ones clustered around Li Mengnan, staring with anticipation as she smiled, handing out treats—biscuit in the left hand, dried fruit in the right.

Mmm... It was a bit wonderful.

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