Zifeng took a deep breath, trying to shrink in size, but found that its internal space had been sealed. While its body could shrink, the treasures in its belly wouldn't, making it look like an overinflated balloon on the verge of bursting.
Zifeng cried out, quickly returning to its original size. Gritting its teeth, it refused to leave any crystal chests behind, lugging its bloated body as it struggled to keep up with Ling Feng.
Seeing Zifeng's strained state, Ling Feng couldn't help but laugh. "Zifeng, maybe you should leave a few treasure chests behind. If you stay , you won't be able to fit back into my dantian."
"No worries!" Zifeng flicked its forked tongue. "Once we're out of this place, I'll be back to normal!"
Ling Feng shrugged. After all, any elemental crystals Zifeng took out would be his to use. This guy had a tenacious life force; he'd struggle through the windhole's rough winds, but he'd survive.
A loud splash erupted over a vast lake as two figures, one man and one woman, broke through the surface. The man was strikingly handsome, and the woman was as beautiful as a goddess.
Naturally, this pair was none other than Ling Feng and Tuoba Yan.
Ling Feng was bare from the waist up, wearing four peculiar treasures. Tuoba Yan, already wearing her inner armor, carried two additional items for him. In his hand, Ling Feng held a long purple tail, and at the end of it, was a swollen, dizzy serpent—Zifeng.
"Oh heavens, where am I? Why is the whole world spinning?"
The snake, of course, was Zifeng. Going through the windhole with its bulky body, it lost control and was spun hundreds of times, nearly puking everything out of its belly. Thanks to Ling Feng's raw strength, it'd been pulled out; otherwise, it'd still be spinning inside.
Upon reaching the shore, Zifeng retched, spitting out lava and one chest after another, all surprisingly intact.
Fortunately, these treasure chests were quite resistant to high temperatures and were not melted by the magma in Zifeng's belly.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
With dull eyes and labored breathing, Zifeng slumped on the ground, resembling a dead snake.
"I told you not to bring so much stuff."
Ling Feng shrugged. The guy was just dizzy and would recover after resting.
Zifeng gave Ling Feng a weak glare, its mind too dizzy to retort.
Shaking his head, Ling Feng snapped his fingers, activating the portal to the Five Elements Heavenly Palace. Taking Tuoba Yan, Zifeng, and the chests with him, they all entered the palace.
"Yan'er, if Xiaofan and the others ask, just say we joined forces to defeat Shen Lang and found a treasure trove. As for the rest, there's no need to elaborate; no point in worrying them." As they entered, Ling Feng quietly advised Tuoba Yan.
Tuoba Yan gave him a sidelong glance. Despite barely surviving, this guy was more concerned about sparing his friends from worry.
Truly fortunate were those he called friends.
"Fine, say what you want. It has nothing to do with me," Tuoba Yan replied coolly.
"Hehe, thanks!" Ling Feng raised an eyebrow, and proceeded to the Wood Elemental Realm together with her and Zifeng.
Yue Yunlan and the others should have awakened in the palace's Wood Elemental Realm by now.
"What's going on? So much time has passed, and Big Brother still hasn't shown up."
Inside the palace, Jiang Xiaofan paced restlessly around a pillar, his brow furrowed.
They recalled entering the scripture repository of the ancient Huangji Sect, getting sucked into a golden vortex, encountering an illusion of the Devils from Beyond, and then, upon waking, found themselves within the palace.
But after waiting an entire day, there was still no sign of Ling Feng, and they didn't know how to use the mirror in the palace's center, so they had no choice but to wait, growing increasingly anxious.
"Don't worry," Yue Yunlan said, smiling gently. "Since it was Mr. Ling who saved us, he'll be fine. Maybe something just held him up."
"Haha, Miss Yue knows me well!"
At that moment, the palace's light shifted, and two people and a snake appeared.
Everyone in the hall felt their eyes twitch. Somehow, Ling Feng looked taller—and maybe even more handsome!
"What, don't you recognize me?" Ling Feng smirked, touching his fair skin. "I just accidentally broke through again. Guess I was lucky, hehe..."
"Accidentally... broke through again..."
Everyone couldn't help rolling their eyes. Li Bufan muttered to himself: "This guy just loves flaunting..."
"Big Brother, what's with that snake on the ground? Are we having grilled snake tonight?" Jiang Xiaofan grinned, his eyes lighting up. Besides martial arts, this guy was also an insatiable foodie.
"This is no meal—it's Zifeng," Ling Feng laughed. "I'll explain everything in a bit."
"Mr. Ling, what's with your outfit?"
Yue Yunlan noticed Ling Feng's strange accessories, unable to suppress a laugh. But then she noticed something odd: each item seemed to radiate a powerful, natural aura of creation.
Were they Treasures of the Stars? No!
Treasures of the Sun and Moon? No...
Yue Yunlan's pupils shrank. Her mind instantly conjured four words: Treasures of Heaven and Earth!
"Oh my god, Treasures of Heaven and Earth!"
Covering her mouth, Yue Yunlan stared at the items on Ling Feng in disbelief. She had seen these treasures before in the Cangqiong Sect's treasury, but even there, they had only five. And the power of creation radiating from those in Ling Feng's possession seemed much purer!
Jiang Xiaofan and Mu Qianxue were also stunned. Treasures of Heaven and Earth—items that even human emperor experts might not possess!
Only Jiang Xiaofan, still clueless, scratched his head, having no concept of their value.
"You caught on quickly," Ling Feng chuckled. "I was going to surprise you all, hehe..."