Chapter 28 Escaping Death, Teacher, Will You Blush?
With the Windblade Leopard's fall and the absorption of its second spirit ring, the underground cavern returned to calm.
Ye Feng stood up, and the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his hand took on a strange form—the ribs were folded, and a long steel chain was attached to the end of the chain, with a scythe emitting a faint blue light at the other end.
This is the fifth form of the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella: Ninja Tool - Flying Scythe.
"Let's test the feel of it."
With a flick of his wrist, Ye Feng sent the scythe flying out with a whoosh, precisely wrapping around a stalactite thirty meters away. Then, with a sharp pull, he shot forward like an arrow, tracing an elegant arc in the air before landing steadily on the stone pillar.
"Not only can it be used for mid-range entanglement attacks, but it's also an excellent movement tool." Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction. "With this, I can be half a 'Spider-Man' in this world without light-footed skills."
"What kind of spirit beast is Spider-Man?" Hu Yanli below scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.
"A kind of… humanoid soul beast that's really good at spinning silk." Ye Feng casually made up a story, then jumped back to the ground. "Let's pack up, we should head out."
By this time, Mingyue had regained some of her health. Although her soul power was still only two or three tenths, she could walk without much difficulty. Looking at Ye Feng's spirited appearance, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes.
This boy is growing up too fast. So fast that even she, his teacher, is starting to feel a bit of pressure, and... a strange sense of security.
"Ye Feng, where is the exit?" Mingyue looked around. "The entrance we came in through has collapsed."
"Up there." Ye Feng pointed to the top of the cave. There was a natural vertical shaft about two meters in diameter, through which a faint sliver of sunlight could be seen. "The Windblade Leopard and that Illusionary Sound Fox came down from there. It leads directly to the ground, but it's at least two hundred meters high."
Two hundred meters.
For the Soul Emperor Mingyue at her peak, this was nothing. But now that she was weak and powerless, and Huyan Li was a cumbersome tank, it had become a problem.
"Old Hu, how's your injury?" Ye Feng asked Hu Yanli.
"It's just a superficial injury, nothing serious!" Hu Yanli patted his chest, his mouth twitching from the pain, but he still forced himself to say, "I can use my dagger to carve up the rock face. It'll be slower, but I won't die from the fall."
"Okay, then you climb it yourself." Ye Feng nodded without any politeness. "Don't fall and hit the flowers and plants."
"Huh? Boss, you're not taking me?" Hu Yanli asked with a bitter face.
"I can't lift a 300-pound lump like you." Ye Feng rolled his eyes, then turned to look at Mingyue, a playful smile on his lips. "As for the teacher... given your current physical condition, you probably can't climb up, right?"
Mingyue's cheeks flushed slightly; she naturally knew what Ye Feng wanted to say.
"I...I can try to recover my soul power first..."
"It's very cold here. Staying here for even a minute longer will damage your meridians." Ye Feng interrupted her, stepped forward, and bent down slightly. "Come on up, teacher. Since you said you would be my exclusive support, it's only right that as the main DPS, you carry the support for a bit."
Mingyue hesitated for a moment.
In Douluo Continent, while the teacher-student relationship wasn't as strictly observed as in ancient times, such intimate physical contact still crossed a line. However, looking at Ye Feng's broad (though still somewhat thin) back and the cold, damp environment around her, she ultimately relented.
"Well... thank you for your hard work."
Mingyue carefully climbed onto Ye Feng's back.
In an instant, a soft and warm touch came. Ye Feng felt a weight on his back, followed by a faint fragrance of orchids entering his nostrils. It was Mingyue's unique body scent, which could still be clearly smelled even in this cave filled with the smell of blood.
"Ahem." Ye Feng coughed lightly, supporting Mingyue's thighs with both hands, trying his best to stay focused. "Hold on tight, teacher. I won't be responsible if you fall."
"How dare you!" Mingyue whispered in his ear, her hands instinctively wrapping around Ye Feng's neck.
The warm breath brushed against Ye Feng's earlobe, making half of his body tingle.
"Old Hu, you go first!"
"Alright!" Although Hu Yanli was envious, he knew his own limitations and obediently took out two specially made fine iron daggers and began to chisel upwards like a big gecko.
After Hu Yanli had climbed a certain distance, Ye Feng took a deep breath and his soul power surged.
"Thousand Chance Umbrella - Rotary Wing!"
The umbrella opened above his head, spinning at high speed and generating tremendous lift.
Ye Feng slowly ascended into the sky with the bright moon.
Inside the narrow shaft, the airflow was somewhat turbulent. The two clung tightly to each other. As they ascended, the wind pressure from the Thousand Chance Umbrella's rotors caused Mingyue's long hair to flutter wildly, strands gently brushing against Ye Feng's cheeks, tickling him.
"Ye Feng..."
"What's wrong?"
"Am I... very heavy?" Mingyue's voice was a little uneasy. Girls, even Soul Emperors, are sensitive about their weight.
Feeling the softness behind him, Ye Feng chuckled mischievously, "It's not heavy, but... some parts are quite oppressive."
Mingyue paused for a second, then realized what he was saying, and bit his shoulder in embarrassment and indignation: "You little rascal! You even dare to flirt with your teacher!"
"Ouch—it hurts! Teacher, let go! If my hand slips, we'll be doomed!"
"Who wants to be your lover!" Mingyue said, but she didn't bite hard; it sounded more like an affectionate coquettish remark.
In this dark and confined space, the subtle barrier that had been there before seemed to be breaking down little by little. Mingyue could clearly hear Ye Feng's strong heartbeat; that steady rhythm completely relaxed her nerves, which had been tense for the past few days.
If time could stop at this moment, it wouldn't be so bad.
...
"Thump!"
With the final sprint, Ye Feng used his flying scythe to hook onto the edge of the cave entrance, and leaped out with Mingyue, landing heavily on the thick snow.
It was already night outside.
The sky was filled with twinkling stars, and the night sky in the far north was breathtakingly clear. The cold wind howled, but it couldn't dispel the lingering tenderness between the two.
"Ouch! Bosses, you guys are finally up! I'm frozen solid!"
Hu Yanli, who had already climbed up, was huddled up in a ball, trembling.
Mingyue quickly got off Ye Feng's back, tidied her somewhat disheveled clothes and hair, and used the darkness to conceal the blush on her face, regaining her cool and aloof demeanor as Teacher Mingyue.
"We shouldn't stay here any longer," Mingyue said solemnly. "Although we have shaken off our pursuers, the temperature in the far north can drop to minus forty degrees Celsius at night. If we don't find a sheltered place, we will freeze to death."
"Come with me."
Ye Feng checked the direction. He had memorized a map of the area before entering the forest.
"Go five miles to the southeast, and there is a coniferous forest. The terrain there is low-lying and suitable for setting up camp."
...
One hour later.
Deep in the coniferous forest, a campfire rose up.
Ye Feng used the Thousand Chance Umbrella to set up a simple windproof tent, and the three of them sat around the fire, roasting the meat they had cut from the Wind Blade Leopard.
It must be said that the meat of the thousand-year-old soul beast is extremely delicious and contains abundant energy. One bite and a warm current flows through your whole body.
Hu Yanli ate with grease dripping from his mouth. This guy was carefree; once he was full, he got sleepy and soon leaned against a big tree, snoring loudly.
Only Ye Feng and Mingyue remained by the campfire.
Ye Feng poked at the flames with a twig, the firelight reflecting on his young face, making him appear exceptionally resolute.
"What are your plans next?" Mingyue broke the silence. She held a cup of hot water in her hands, which Ye Feng had boiled with snow water.
"Returning to the academy is impossible," Ye Feng said calmly. "Since the Elephant Armor Sect and the Snow Demon Sect have broken off relations, they will definitely lay a trap around the academy. Moreover… I can't just let this grudge go."
"You want revenge?" Mingyue frowned. "Ye Feng, don't be impulsive. Although you are exceptionally talented, you are still only a Great Soul Master. Those two sects have deep foundations. Although they may not necessarily take action, they have countless Soul Saints and Soul Douluos."
"Of course I know." Ye Feng smiled. "A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. But I'm a scoundrel; I like to take revenge from morning till night."
He turned to look at Mingyue, his eyes burning: "We're going to Tiandou City."
"Tian Dou City?"
"Yes. That's the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, where the power dynamics are complex. Although the Elephant Armor Sect is powerful, it doesn't dare to be too presumptuous under the emperor's nose. And…" Ye Feng paused, "I want to go and see the legendary Shrek Academy, or the All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Elite Tournament."
This point in time was roughly one or two years before the start of Tang San's tournament. It was the perfect stage, and also Ye Feng's opportunity to make a name for himself and build his influence.
"No matter where you go, I will follow you," Mingyue said softly, her tone firm.
Ye Feng looked at her, then suddenly reached out and gently grasped Mingyue's soft hand resting on her knee.
Mingyue's hand trembled slightly, but she did not pull it away.
"Teacher, it's very dangerous to follow me. I'm destined to turn this continent upside down."
"I have no way out, do I?" Mingyue gave a bitter smile and grasped Ye Feng's hand in return. "Family, academy… I have nothing left. Now, you are my only student, and also my… captain."
"Just the captain?" Ye Feng leaned forward slightly, getting closer to Mingyue.
The distance between them had shrunk to an extremely dangerous level. Mingyue could even count Ye Feng's eyelashes.
"Then what else do you want?" Mingyue turned her head away in a panic, not daring to look directly into those extremely aggressive eyes.
"For example... my future wife?" Ye Feng said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.
"You...you're so young and already doing bad things!" Mingyue glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed, but there was little anger in her eyes, instead a hint of tenderness. "We'll talk about it when you beat me, you little brat."
"Beat you? That's too easy." Ye Feng smiled confidently. "Give me three years. By then, I'll make you willingly call me 'husband'."
"How arrogant." Mingyue snorted lightly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
She withdrew her hand and gently smoothed the snowflakes off Ye Feng's collar.
"However, Ye Feng... you're so outstanding, you'll definitely have more than just me by your side in the future, right?"
This is a question that could cost you your life.
Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat. In this world, it was not uncommon for powerful people to have multiple wives and concubines, but he did not expect Mingyue to ask so directly.
He looked into Mingyue's eyes without looking away or lying.
"Teacher, the road ahead is long. I can't guarantee who I will meet in the future, but I can assure you…" Ye Feng raised his hand and gently stroked Mingyue's cheek, "No matter what, your place in my heart will be irreplaceable. You are the first woman to entrust her back to me, and the first person I want to protect with all my might."
Mingyue stared at him blankly.
This answer is not perfect, nor is it single-minded enough, but it is sincere enough.
In this dog-eat-dog world, to receive a sincere promise from a young man with unlimited potential is perhaps a luxury.
"Glib-tongued..."
Mingyue sighed, but her body honestly leaned on Ye Feng's shoulder.
"I'll trust you this once. If you ever dare to betray me again, I'll... I'll..."
"What will you do?"
"I'll use the Bright Moon Fan to tear your broken umbrella apart!"
"Hahaha, then it seems I'll have to make the umbrella even sturdier."
As night deepened, the campfire flickered.
In this frigid, snowy northern plain, two hearts were pressed tightly together. Though the road ahead was long and fraught with unknown dangers, the tenderness of this moment was enough to ward off all the harshness of the world.
Beside him, Huyan Li rolled over, smacked his lips, and mumbled in his sleep, "Roast meat...it smells so good...I'll have another bowl..."
...
The next morning.
As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the miasma of the misty forest, the three were ready to set off.
Ye Feng changed into a black outfit he found in his storage soul tool, carrying the Thousand Chance Umbrella on his back, looking dashing and heroic.
Hu Yanli acted like a dutiful bodyguard, carrying large and small bags (mostly rare metals and soul beast materials that Ye Feng had scavenged).
The moon regained its usual coolness, but when it looked at Ye Feng, a hint of tenderness would always inadvertently appear in its eyes.
"Let's go." Ye Feng looked south. "Destination: Heaven Dou City!"
"Boss, are we just going to walk there like this?" Hu Yanli asked with a bitter face. "That's too far."
"Who said we're going now? We still have people to take with us."