Douluo Continent: Thunder Roar

On the lake, Ling Yu slowly exhaled, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The burly body gradually shrank, the bulging muscles slowly flattened, and the bones made a slight clicking sound, shedding the dullness of the previous reshaping process.

The fine, snow-white hair on his arms disappeared like a tide, the sharp black claws at his fingertips slowly retracted, and the bony ridges on both sides of his forehead gradually smoothed out and eventually disappeared completely.

A moment later, he returned to his original appearance, though his forehead was still damp with sweat and his clothes were mostly soaked by the lake water, clinging to his body. Yet, he did not look disheveled at all; instead, he exuded a cool and refreshing aura after a bloody battle.

He looked up and his gaze fell on Ma Xiaotao, who was lying on the water not far away.

She was soaked to the bone, and her originally flamboyant red dress was completely translucent from the lake water, clinging to her body like a cicada's wing, outlining her curvaceous and alluring figure.

Her breasts were full and firm, heaving violently with her rapid breathing, creating an alluring curve. The soft, damp long skirt could not conceal the outline of what lay beneath, revealing a deadly allure. Her waist was slender and firm, supple like a willow branch, leading down to her round and perky buttocks. The long skirt clung to her skin, showcasing the beauty and fullness of her hips to the fullest extent. Even lying still, she exuded a languid yet sexy tension.

The skin beneath the wet skirt shimmered with a lustrous sheen, mingled with red marks from burns and impacts, a blend of brokenness and sensuality that made her alluring.

Ling Yu didn't say anything, but simply lifted his foot and walked towards her step by step across the calm lake surface.

When he reached her side, he gently squatted down, slowly extended his hand, and a faint green light gradually appeared in his palm. The light was soft and gentle, like the warm sun in spring, carrying vigorous vitality, and gently covered Ma Xiaotao's wound.

Ma Xiaotao froze, her rapid breathing paused slightly, and even her trembling arms stopped instinctively.

The moment the green light touched the skin, a warm power slowly seeped into the wound, instantly dispelling the soreness and numbness in the arm. The cracked wound tingled with a tingling sensation and was healing at a visible speed. The originally hideous crack gradually closed, eventually leaving only a faint red mark.

She slowly raised her head, her gaze falling on Ling Yu. Strands of wet hair clung to her cheeks, outlining her delicate jawline. Her full, firm breasts rose and fell gently with her breath. Her soaked red dress, thin as a cicada's wing, could not conceal her alluring curves. Under the translucent fabric, her outline was vaguely visible, making her incredibly seductive.

Her pale pink eyes held a hint of languid weariness, along with a touch of barely concealed joy and curiosity. Her voice was hoarse yet carried a hint of coquettishness: "Is this your healing ability? It's truly amazing. You possess invincible combat power and such useful healing support abilities. Little Yu, I'm becoming more and more curious about you."

He remained crouched beside her, head bowed, intently staring at her still-healing wound. Upon hearing this, he simply said, "Just a little trick."

His handsome profile was so close, beads of sweat trickling down his jawline, and tiny droplets of water from the lake still clung to his eyelashes, shimmering in the sunlight. His focused expression made Ma Xiaotao's heart skip a beat.

The gentle force slowly seeped in, relieving the soreness in her muscles, and then smoothing away the red marks on her shoulder where she had been struck by claws, the movements as gentle as if she were handling a rare treasure.

Just then, Ma Xiaotao suddenly moved.

Taking advantage of his bending down to heal her wounds, she suddenly propped herself up, leaned forward, and without hesitation, nestled into Ling Yu's arms, her cheek pressed tightly against his chest. The movement was natural and intimate, with a hint of deliberate dependence. Her lower body remained gently floating on the water, her red dress swaying slightly, adding to her allure.

Ling Yu's hand froze in mid-air, the green light at his fingertips suddenly went out, and his aura paused slightly. He clearly hadn't expected her to make such a move, and his body tensed up instinctively, even his breathing paused for half a second.

Ma Xiaotao's head was pressed tightly against his chest. Her soaked red dress was as thin as a cicada's wing, clinging tightly to his clothes. Through the two thin layers of fabric, he could clearly feel her unusually hot body temperature, and he could also vaguely feel the fullness and softness of her breasts and the pert curve of her buttocks. The warm touch slowly seeped into his clothes, making his heart tingle slightly.

Her breath was on his chest, one breath after another. Her warm breath seeped through the fabric and gently brushed against his skin, carrying a faint aroma of burnt food and the unique sweet scent of a woman, lingering around his nose and refusing to leave. The close contact and the allure of her wet skirt made him feel even more breathless.

Ling Yu's hand paused slightly, but the green light in his palm did not stop. However, the posture was too intimate, which made his movements unconsciously become restrained.

A clear, soft touch came from his chest. Through two layers of wet clothing, Ma Xiaotao's full breasts pressed tightly against his chest. Her warm body temperature seeped in through the fabric, and the strength of her arms wrapped around his waist carried a hint of dependence. Her faint body fragrance mixed with the coolness of the lake water lingered in his nose and wouldn't leave.

"Just lean against me like this for a while," Ma Xiaotao's voice was muffled against his chest, tinged with a hint of hoarse laziness and a touch of natural grievance. "My whole body feels weak, and it hurts if I move. This position makes me feel more at ease."

As she spoke, she snuggled closer to him, pressing her cheek against his, and the soft feeling against his chest became even clearer.

Ling Yu could sense that this position was indeed inconvenient for continuing the healing process. He subconsciously wanted to gently help her sit up, but as soon as his fingertips touched her shoulder, he heard her let out a low groan, carrying a hint of suppressed pain.

"It hurts... Little Yu, be gentle..."

Ling Yu looked up at Ma Xiaotao's pale and tired profile in his arms, at her slightly furrowed brows, and then at her soaking wet appearance, trembling slightly in the lake. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to be cruel.

"The water is too cold," Ma Xiaotao said softly, as if sensing his hesitation. "I'm exhausted of my soul power, and it'll be even colder lying in the water. Leaning against you will warm me up."

As she spoke, her fingertips gently gripped the fabric at his waist. She didn't make any excessive movements, just leaned against him quietly, her eyes full of contentment, as if all her fatigue and pain could slowly dissipate just by leaning against him like this.

Ling Yu remained silent for a moment, then slowly relaxed his body. He gently placed one hand on her back, supporting her steadily, while his other hand, still glowing green, carefully continued to heal her. His movements were even gentler than before, and his tone carried a hint of barely perceptible helplessness, "Don't move around, just focus on healing."

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiaotao's lips subtly curved into a faint smile. Without looking up, she remained nestled against his chest, her voice muffled and tinged with a hint of obedience: "I won't move, I'll do whatever you say."

Despite saying that, her body unconsciously adjusted to a more comfortable position, leaning herself completely against his chest. The softness of her chest gently rubbed against his chest with her breath, causing Ling Yu's heart to beat faster and his ear tips to turn slightly red.

In the bamboo grove on the shore, Wang Dong'er suddenly opened her eyes wide, her pinkish-blue eyes fixed on the two figures closely huddled together in the center of the lake. She opened her mouth, but found herself unable to utter a single word.

Her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white from the force, her lips pressed tightly together, and a complex mix of emotions swirling in her eyes—grievance, resentment, and a vague, unsettling feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on, a tightness in her chest that made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Jiang Nannan stood beside her, the faint smile on her face instantly freezing, then slowly fading away, her expression gradually becoming calm, yet revealing a hint of barely perceptible sadness.

Her gaze fell on the center of the lake, watching Ma Xiaotao lean against Ling Yu's chest without any restraint, and watching Ling Yu freeze in mid-air without pushing her away. A complex look flashed in her eyes.

Standing behind the two, Zhang Lexuan looked at the scene in the middle of the lake. She was slightly taken aback at first, and then a faint smile slowly curved her lips. There was a hint of knowing everything in her smile, a hint of teasing, and a trace of envy that she herself did not realize. She chuckled softly and did not say anything.

On the lake, a gentle breeze blew, stirring up tiny ripples that ruffled the two people's soaked clothes and Ma Xiaotao's red dress.

Ma Xiaotao leaned against Ling Yu's chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest, feeling his cool breath and warm body temperature. A sly and satisfied smile quietly appeared on her lips, and a triumphant smile flashed in her eyes.

She didn't look up, still buried her face in his chest, her voice low, so low that only the two of them could hear, and with a hint of probing, she softly asked, "That matter... Sister Lexuan told you, right?"

Ling Yu's body stiffened slightly, his aura paused again, and a look of understanding flashed in his eyes.

He knew what Ma Xiaotao was talking about.

It is dawn.

Without waiting for his response, Ma Xiaotao continued softly, her voice carrying a hint of determination and a barely perceptible expectation: "I want to join."

Ling Yu remained silent for two seconds, his fingertips twitched slightly, his gaze fell on the top of her head, his expression complicated. He did not respond immediately, but the aura around him became even colder.

"Why?" he finally asked, his voice still calm, but with a hint of scrutiny, as if he were probing her true feelings, or perhaps he was hesitant.

Ma Xiaotao leaned against him, her fingers unconsciously gripping the fabric of his shirt at his waist, her fingertips tightening slightly, as if she were nervous, or perhaps deliberately being coquettish. Her long red dress swayed gently with her movements, her voice soft yet tinged with seriousness: "You beat me. And I also want to see what the world will be like after what you've said becomes reality. Changing the whole world—it sounds so naive, yet so grand an ideal. I want to try it too; it should be very interesting."

Ling Yu remained silent, and silence enveloped the two of them like a tide. Only the sound of the wind on the lake gently blew by, carrying a touch of quiet awkwardness.