Chapter 651 - 650: Qilin Cave
The trees were tall and large. Chen Tianlong never expected that such towering plants could grow on a high mountainside. However, considering the temperature here was so high, it was evidently due to this reason.
This forest could maintain its year-round growth, with leaves as green as in summer.
After walking for about ten minutes, a small mountain suddenly appeared in front of them, with three large caves on its front side, accompanied by dozens of various smaller ones. These caves were certainly well-ventilated.
Chen Tianlong thought for a moment, a slight smile appearing on his lips as he said, "It’s definitely here, no mistake!"
"Huh? How do you know it’s here for sure, Chen Tianlong?" Jiang Yufan was somewhat surprised. Chen Tianlong was really remarkable to even know about the Qilin Cave.
"Hehe, the Qilin has a fire attribute, and it needs to dissipate heat promptly within its body. Such caves are undoubtedly its best choice, otherwise, during summer, its mind would be consumed by the heat."
"Ah, so that’s it. Why didn’t I think of that? Hehe, Chen Tianlong, you’re really smart."
"Of course."
"Hehe."
"Yufan, let’s go in."
"Okay."
So they headed towards the cave. As they stepped inside, a wave of heat hit them face-on, and sweat seemed to appear on their foreheads instantly.
Chen Tianlong felt slightly uncomfortable, so he took off his jacket, revealing a tight-fitting T-shirt underneath. His exposed muscular arms instantly stunned Jiang Yufan standing beside him.
Chen Tianlong truly had the kind of figure that looked slender when dressed but muscular when undressed.
Jiang Yufan subconsciously glanced at Chen Tianlong’s chest, and her breathing grew slightly erratic. His enormous chest muscles were even bigger than her two, and half of her face unexpectedly flushed.
Chen Tianlong casually glanced at Jiang Yufan and suddenly noticed her blush, immediately asking, "Yufan, what’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?"
This situation could easily be misunderstood. Being near the mountaintop, estimated at over a thousand meters high, any high-altitude reaction might result in a flushed face, vomiting, or other discomforts. Therefore, Chen Tianlong instinctively thought Jiang Yufan was experiencing high-altitude sickness.
"Huh? No." Jiang Yufan hesitated, but quickly realized that her facial reaction had betrayed her.
"Then... why is your face so red?" Chen Tianlong asked in confusion.
"Haha, this cave is a bit hot, yes, it must be from the heat." Jiang Yufan said, hastily fanning herself with her shirt to conceal her blush.
"Oh, I see. Then I’ll fan you." Chen Tianlong said, picking up his jacket and waving it back and forth in front of Jiang Yufan, letting the generated wind cool her.
At this moment, Jiang Yufan was deeply touched. This meticulous care was something she had longed for all along. It reminded her of the many men who pursued her in South Sea City before, but they were like football players chasing a ball, their ultimate goal just to score.
Perhaps true love was hard to find. Jiang Yufan disliked those men until she met Chen Tianlong.
Chen Tianlong was the most beautiful encounter in her life. Though only for a few days, it felt like a lifetime. The man brought her laughter, rescued her from danger, and now cared for her meticulously, making Jiang Yufan feel a sense of gain and loss.
Is Chen Tianlong truly her prince charming?
Or was he merely a fleeting passerby, one who would leave as soon as his poison was cured, and then they would never cross paths again?
"Yufan, are you okay?" Chen Tianlong noticed Jiang Yufan’s expression turning from rosy to dull, with a hint of melancholy, and felt something was amiss.
"Huh? Oh, Chen Tianlong, I’m fine now. Let’s hurry up and find the Fire Qilin. There’s not much time before your poison acts up." Jiang Yufan suddenly said, revealing a hint of reluctance and melancholy in her eyes.
Chen Tianlong seemed to sense something unusual, but before he could ask, a sound came from the depths of the cave.
"Who... roar..."
The sound was heavy and deep, like the bass from Mengting’s home stereo, making one shiver. It would be comforting if it was music, but this was a sound made by a beast. Even someone as knowledgeable as Chen Tianlong felt somewhat unnerved now.
"Chen Tianlong, that sound is terrifying. I’m a bit scared!" Jiang Yufan trembled and directly hid behind Chen Tianlong.
Usually, she pretends to deal with ghosts and demons, but she knew those were fake, just pretending for fun. Yet, this monster was evidently real.
"Hehe, don’t worry, I’m here." Chen Tianlong said with a faint smile. However, thinking it over, he felt that bringing Jiang Yufan inside the cave would be very dangerous, so he said, "Yufan, why don’t you wait at the cave entrance? I’ll go in by myself."
"No!" Jiang Yufan pouted, firmly refusing.
Chen Tianlong smiled wryly. After spending a few days together, he had somewhat understood Jiang Yufan’s personality — once she had her mind set on something, she rarely changed it. Thus, Chen Tianlong didn’t force her but nodded and said, "Alright, then stay close to me and don’t get lost."
"Okay, I understand." Jiang Yufan stayed close behind Chen Tianlong. After taking a couple of steps, Chen Tianlong thought for a moment, turned around, and held her hand, then continued forward.
This little gesture by Chen Tianlong deeply moved Jiang Yufan once again. She merely gave a sweet smile without speaking. As they proceeded further, the cave seemed to narrow, and as they walked, a fork suddenly appeared.
"Oh no, Chen Tianlong, what should we do? There are two paths here; which one should we take?" Jiang Yufan asked as she looked at the fork ahead.
Chen Tianlong said nothing. Instead, he released Jiang Yufan’s hand and walked over to the first cave, standing there for a moment, then moved to the other cave and stood there for a moment before turning around, smiling at Jiang Yufan, and pulling her hand to head towards the second cave.
"Huh? Chen Tianlong, how do you know we should take this path?" Jiang Yufan asked suspiciously.
"Oh, I’m not sure either." Chen Tianlong shrugged and smiled wryly.
"..." Jiang Yufan was speechless, but she trusted Chen Tianlong. She knew he must have some assurance; otherwise, he wouldn’t resolutely head towards this cave. "Hehe, it’s fine, wherever you go, I’ll follow."
Chen Tianlong gave a slight smile, saying nothing further, but continued to hold Jiang Yufan’s hand as they advanced. Actually, Chen Tianlong chose the second cave for a reason. Noticing that the air in this cave was more stifling than in the first one, if it was indeed the Qilin Cave, then surely the hot one would be the Fire Qilin’s lair.
Sure enough, after they walked for a few minutes, another roar suddenly echoed from ahead, indicating the Fire Qilin had sensed someone entering its territory.
"Chen Tianlong, that monster roared again. It’s terrifying." Jiang Yufan shivered involuntarily, feeling scared.
"Hmm, we need to be more cautious." Chen Tianlong was unsure of the Qilin Beast’s strength, only seeing how things progressed. If it was truly formidable, he would have to send Jiang Yufan out first and confront it alone.