I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Gu Yan was completely unaware of any of this; he was immersed in darkness, his consciousness like a sponge soaking in lukewarm water.

After an unknown amount of time, a sliver of light began to pierce through the edge of the darkness.

It was very weak and faint, like a candle flame seen through several layers of gauze, indistinct and blurry.

His consciousness began to rise little by little, ascending from the deepest depths.

It's like swimming up from the bottom of the water; with each sliver of elevation, a little more of your body's sensation returns.

Then the pain came, surging in from all directions like a tidal wave, engulfing him completely.

My bones feel like they've fallen apart; every single one aches, and each one feels like it's been taken apart and reassembled.

The wound on my shoulder was burning, and the spot on my back where I hit the wall was bruised.

The muscles in my arms were so sore that I couldn't even lift them, and the joints in my fingers were as stiff as rusty iron.

The most painful areas were my eyes and head. It felt like something was burning behind my eyeballs, and the burning pain came in waves.

My temples were throbbing, and my head felt like it had been hit with a hammer, or like it was being pushed outwards from the inside.

He tried to rub his temples, but he couldn't lift his hand; the slightest movement of his fingers made him wince in pain.

Forget it, I'll just lie here and not move. I'm not going to die anyway.

His consciousness fully returned, and he began to think again.

The first thing that flashed through my mind was the scene in the secret realm: a dark red sky, black bone-corroding vines, and cracks in the ground.

One after another, the Bone Eaters pounced, their sharp teeth and claws spraying black liquid everywhere.

He stood alone among the corpses, a knife held horizontally in front of him, his back ramrod straight.

He killed all twenty-eight Bone Eaters, hacking them away one by one.

And that Iron Clan elite, whose four tentacles were cut off one by one by him.

His front legs were also cut off, and the sound of him crashing to the ground still echoed in his mind.

What a pity, the corpses of those strange beasts were full of treasures.

Bone Eater teeth and claws can fetch a good price on the black market, and Ironhide carapaces are even more valuable.

If he could peel off those things and bring them out, it would be enough to keep him busy for a long time.

But in that situation, just surviving was a blessing; there was no time to think about such things.

Thanks to the Demon-Suppressing Blade, which was indeed sharp enough to cut through the carapace of the Iron Clan without dulling its edge.

If it were an ordinary knife, it would probably have chipped after a couple of cuts, and he would have died in the secret realm long ago.

When Lin Zhenting gave him the knife, he thought it was just an ordinary gift.

I didn't expect it to be the real deal, the real deal that could save my life in a critical moment.

He took a deep breath, feeling something pressing against his chest, probably from a rib injury.

Well, it's good enough that I'm alive; this injury is nothing.

He endured the pain in his head and eyes and began trying to open them.

His eyelids felt as heavy as lead, and he had to strain several times to open them even a crack.

The light rushed in, making my eyes hurt even more; it felt like my eyeballs were being pricked by needles.

He gritted his teeth, slowly opened his eyes, and gradually adjusted to the light.

The ceiling came into view; it wasn't white, but a deep sandalwood color.

It is carved with exquisite patterns, with flowers connected together, the lines so smooth they look like they were painted on.

The patterns are inlaid with silver threads, which shimmer in the light like stars.

The ceiling is very high, much higher than that of an ordinary house, and there are intricate reliefs on the corners.

This is clearly not the courtyard house of the Grand Secretary's residence. He had been inside the Grand Secretary's residence before, although he had only seen the main gate.

But the roofs of those old-style courtyard houses have a beam structure, and the wood is dark-colored; they're not that particular.

This ceiling is so luxurious, it looks like the inner quarters of a wealthy family, or a place specifically for entertaining guests.

He was staring at the ceiling, wondering where he was.

A sound suddenly rang out from the side, as clear and crisp as a wind chime being swayed in the wind.

"Ah, you're awake, you're awake, you're finally awake."

Her voice was filled with surprise, and she spoke so fast it was like a machine gun, bombarding him with words.

"Do you know how long you slept? For a very, very long time. I thought you were never going to wake up."

"But the doctor said you're fine, just too tired, and your eyes are a little injured. You just need to rest."

"I knew it! You don't look like someone who's going to die. You're so good-looking."

Gu Yan was stunned for a moment. He recognized the voice; it was the same chattering voice he heard before he lost consciousness.

Exactly the same, speaking at a machine gun speed, talking as much as they want.

He slowly turned his head, his neck stiff and cracking, wincing in pain with every movement.

A girl sat by the bed, her long pink hair draped over her shoulders, the ends of which were slightly curled.

Her face was small, with a pointed chin, and her skin was as white as porcelain, with a faint pink tinge.

Its eyes were amber-colored, large and bright, like two gems floating in water.

Her eyelashes are very long, and when she blinks, they cast a small shadow on her cheek.

She was wearing a light-colored dress, the hem of which spread out beside the bed like a blooming flower.

His lips curved into a smile, a bright smile that seemed to radiate light.

It wasn't a polite smile, nor was it a perfunctory one; it was a genuinely happy smile.

Like sunlight shining on a lake, or like a spring breeze blowing through a flower field, it's warm and cozy.

Gu Yan looked at her, and the pain in her body seemed to have lessened a bit.

It wasn't an illusion; it really felt lighter. The feeling was strange and hard to describe.

She was like a little sun; just sitting there made people feel warm.

He remembered the voice before he lost consciousness, those chattering words.

"What makes you think you're so great, a B-level? Are you out of your mind?"

"If you die, who will I find to compete in beauty with? Who will I find to fight with?"

It's her; the voice is exactly the same, and the talkative style is exactly the same too.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but his throat was as dry as sandpaper, and he managed to utter a hoarse syllable.

The girl immediately jumped up, her movements as fast as a spring.

"Don't speak, don't speak, please don't speak yet, is your throat very dry?"

"I brought you some soup, I made it myself, have some, just a little will make you feel better."

She turned around and picked up a bowl from the bedside table. The bowl was white porcelain with blue patterns printed on it.

The soup was still steaming, and a faint aroma wafted over – the smell of chicken soup.

She stirred the soup with a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and then held it to Gu Yan's lips.

"Come on, open your mouth, ah—"

Gu Yan looked at her, feeling a bit amused and exasperated. Her throat was terribly sore, but she still managed to squeeze out a few words.

"I can do it myself."

After he finished speaking, he reached out to take the bowl, but as soon as he raised his hand, he was in pain and put it down.

The muscles in my arms are sore and swollen, as if they've been twisted, and I can't even straighten my fingers.

The girl held the spoon to his lips again, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

"What are you doing here? You can't even lift your arms, and you still want to come?"

"Look at you, you're covered in injuries, even your eyes are hurt, what are you trying to prove?"

"Open your mouth, listen to me, finish your drink first, then we'll talk."

Her tone was harsh, but her face was full of worry, and her brows were furrowed tightly.