lǐ fán shùn zhe shēng yīn chuán lái de fāng xiàng wàng qù ， zhǐ jiàn kào jìn dà xuán wō de zuì zhōng yāng 、 fēng léi jī dàng chù ， yǒu yī wèi chì luǒ zhe shàng shēn 、 shēn xíng miáo tiáo dàn què mǎn shì héng liàn jī ròu de xiū shì ， zhèng yǎng tiān nù hǒu 。
李凡顺着声音传来的方向望去，只见靠近大漩涡的最中央、风雷激荡处，有一位赤裸着上身、身型苗条但却满是横炼肌肉的修士，正仰天怒吼。
Li Fan followed the direction of the voice. There, at the center of the great vortex where wind and lightning clashed violently, was a naked man with a slender yet muscular build. He was roaring into the sky.
zài tā shēn biān ， yǐn yuē kě yǐ kàn jiàn wú shù xì xiǎo de lóng juǎn huán rào 。 xuán fēng zhōng yāng ， qī hēi yī piàn ， kàn shàng qù jiù xiàng kōng jiān běn shēn bèi sī liè le bān 。
在他身边，隐约可以看见无数细小的龙卷环绕。旋风中央，漆黑一片，看上去就像空间本身被撕裂了般。
Around him, faint whirling tornadoes could be vaguely seen. In the eye of the storm, it was pitch black as if space itself had been torn apart.
zhuàng hàn suí fēng piāo yáo 。 wēi xíng lóng juǎn yě suí zhe tā de dòng zuò chà nà shēng miè 。
壮汉随风飘摇。微型龙卷也随着他的动作刹那生灭。
The壮汉 swayed in the wind. The tiny whirlwinds flickered on and off with his movements.
jù lí dà xuán wō zhōng yāng hái yǒu yī duàn jù lí de lǐ fán ， dōu yǐ jīng bèi zhōu zāo de gāng fēng guā dé shēng téng 。 dàn shì chù zài zuì hé xīn chù de nà wèi zhuàng hàn ， jìng rán méi yǒu zuò rèn hé fáng hù 。 zhǐ shì rèn yóu kuáng bào de biāo fēng chuī zài tā de shēn shàng ， fā chū jīn shǔ pèng zhuàng de qīng cuì xiǎng shēng 。
距离大漩涡中央还有一段距离的李凡，都已经被周遭的罡风刮得生疼。但是处在最核心处的那位壮汉，竟然没有做任何防护。只是任由狂暴的飙风吹在他的身上，发出金属碰撞的清脆响声。
Li Fan, who was still some distance from the vortex's center, was already feeling the sharp sting of the gales. But the man at the core, despite being exposed to such ferocious winds, took no precautions. He let the raging gusts batter him, producing a crisp metallic clashing sound.
“ tā shì ……”
“他是……”
"He is..."
lǐ fán shuāng yǎn wēi mī 。
李凡双眼微眯。
Li Fan narrowed his eyes. Although this world was his first encounter with this person, he had met him in his previous life briefly. It was Eastern Yao, who oversaw the construction of the Heavenly Xuan Lock Spirit Array in the Ten Thousand Fiery Burn Beach and the Soul Transformation Gorge. He was on good terms with Huafu Song and had already reached the Transcendent Realm at that time.
cǐ shì suī shì dì yī cì jiàn ， dàn shàng yī shì lǐ fán gēn tā yǒu guò yí miàn zhī yuán 。
此世虽是第一次见，但上一世李凡跟他有过一面之缘。
However, it seemed he hadn't crossed a certain threshold yet; he still resided within the Foundation Establishment Realm.
zhèng shì zài wàn lǐ yán fén tān 、 huà líng jiàn zhōng zhǔ chí tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn jiàn zào gōng zuò de dōng fāng yào 。 cǐ rén hé huáng fǔ sōng xiāng jiāo mò nì ， dāng shí yǐ jīng shì huà shén xiū wèi 。
正是在万里炎焚滩、化灵涧中主持天玄锁灵阵建造工作的东方曜。此人和皇甫松相交莫逆，当时已经是化神修为。
"Interesting. No aura fluctuations, just relying on his formidable physique to withstand all the gales. I remember that in the Xuanhuang World, body cultivation techniques are constrained by nature and progress slowly after reaching a certain stage. I wonder how he reached this level..."
bù guò xiàn zài ， sì hū hái méi yǒu kuà guò nà dào kǎn ， réng chù zài yuán yīng jìng nèi 。
不过现在，似乎还没有跨过那道槛，仍处在元婴境内。
Li Fan didn't rush forward but observed Eastern Yao's enlightenment from afar.
“ yǒu yì si ， méi yǒu líng qì bō dòng ， quán kào qiáng hèng ròu shēn jiù néng jìn shù jiāng gāng fēng dǐ dǎng 。 wǒ jì de ， xuán huáng jiè de liàn tǐ zhī fǎ ， yīng gāi shì shòu dào tiān dì zhì yuē 、 xiū xíng dào yí dìng jìng jiè jiù jìn zhǎn jí màn cái shì 。 yě bù zhī tā shì zěn me liàn dào zhè ge dì bù de ……”
“有意思，没有灵气波动，全靠强横肉身就能尽数将罡风抵挡。我记得，玄黄界的炼体之法，应该是受到天地制约、修行到一定境界就进展极慢才是。也不知他是怎么炼到这个地步的……”
The fierce winds raged as the water flow of the vortex grew more turbulent. Eastern Yao attempted to stabilize his stance amidst the storm, moving toward the center. With each step, he seemed to hear the faint creaking of his body under immense pressure.
lǐ fán méi yǒu mào rán shàng qián ， ér shì yuǎn yuǎn guān chá zhe dōng fāng yào wù dào 。
李凡没有贸然上前，而是远远观察着东方曜悟道。
"Humph!" Eastern Yao bellowed, veins bulging on his neck and a faint golden glow enveloping his muscles.
kuáng fēng sì nüè ， dà xuán wō de shuǐ liú yù fā tuān jí 。 dōng fāng yào shì tú zài bào fēng zhōng wěn zhù shēn xíng ， cháo zhe xuán wō zhōng yāng qián jìn 。 měi jìn yí bù ， sì hū dōu néng yǐn yǐn tīng dào shēn tǐ bèi qiáng dà yā lì jǐ yā ér fā chū de gē zhī gē zhī shēng xiǎng 。
狂风肆虐，大漩涡的水流愈发湍急。东方曜试图在暴风中稳住身形，朝着漩涡中央前进。每进一步，似乎都能隐隐听到身体被强大压力挤压而发出的咯吱咯吱声响。
With determination, he continued advancing toward the vortex's core.
“ hēng ！” dōng fāng yào fā chū yī shēng bào hē ， bó zi shàng qīng jīn bào qǐ 、 jī ròu shàng hǎo shì méng shàng le yī céng dàn dàn jīn guāng 。
“哼！”东方曜发出一声暴喝，脖子上青筋暴起、肌肉上好似蒙上了一层澹澹金光。
Suddenly, a black fissure appeared before him like lightning. It sliced through him as if it were a sword.
yì rán jué rán dì ， cháo zhe xuán wō zhōng yāng jì xù kào jìn 。
毅然决然地，朝着漩涡中央继续靠近。
"Boom!" A deafening sound echoed through the storm, leaving a bloody mark on Eastern Yao's body and forcing him back several steps.
hū de ， yī dào hēi sè liè xì wǎn ruò shǎn diàn ， píng kōng chū xiàn zài dōng fāng yào miàn qián 。 jiù xiàng yī bǐng jiàn ， zhǎn zài le tā de shēn shàng 。
忽的，一道黑色裂隙宛若闪电，凭空出现在东方曜面前。就像一柄剑，斩在了他的身上。
But he was not alarmed; rather, he seemed pleased.
“ hōng ！” fā chū zhèn ěr yù lóng 、 shèn zhì chuān tòu fēng yǔ de jù dà mèn xiǎng ， dōng fāng yào de shēn shàng fú xiàn chū yī dào xuè hén ， shēn tǐ yòu bèi pò wǎng hòu tuì le shù bù 。
“轰！”发出震耳欲聋、甚至穿透风雨的巨大闷响，东方曜的身上浮现出一道血痕，身体又被迫往后退了数步。
"Finally, you're here!"
tā què bù jīng fǎn xǐ 。
他却不惊反喜。
He let out a strange cry. His severe injuries instantly healed as he stomped the void with his feet, launching himself forward by several dozen meters.
“ zhōng yú děng dào nǐ le ！”
“终于等到你了！”
The black fissure appeared both abruptly and as if it had always been there, hidden from outsiders.
hóu lóng lǐ fā chū yī shēng guài jiào ， ér hòu dōng fāng yào shēn shàng nà kàn shàng qù pǒ wèi yán zhòng de shāng shì qǐng kè jiān jiù yǐ jīng fù yuán 。 tā jiǎo měng cǎi xū kōng ， shēn xíng zhòu rán bào fā zhī xià ， shùn jiān jiù xiàng qián yuè jìn le shù shí zhàng de jù lí 。
喉咙里发出一声怪叫，而后东方曜身上那看上去颇为严重的伤势顷刻间就已经复原。他脚勐踩虚空，身形骤然爆发之下，瞬间就向前跃进了数十丈的距离。
Black light sliced through Eastern Yao's body along its central line.
yī dào jù dà de hēi sè liè xì ， jì xiàng shì tū wù chū xiàn 。 yòu xiàng shì shàng gǔ yǐ lái yì zhí cún zài 、 zhǐ bù guò shǐ zhōng yǐn cáng ， wú fǎ bèi wài rén kuī jiàn 。
一道巨大的黑色裂隙，既像是突兀出现。又像是上古以来一直存在、只不过始终隐藏，无法被外人窥见。
"Pfft!"
hēi guāng rú jiàn ， yán zhe dōng fāng yào shēn tǐ de zhōng xiàn ， hěn hěn pī kāi 。
黑光如剑，沿着东方曜身体的中线，狠狠噼开。
Eastern Yao's skin split open, nearly causing him to be disemboweled. He retreated in a flash, vanishing more than a thousand feet away back to the vortex’s safe perimeter.
“ pū ！”
“噗！”
"Friend, are you alright?" Li Fan asked as he observed the scene.
dōng fāng yào dùn shí pí kāi ròu zhàn ， chà diǎn dāng chǎng bèi kāi táng pò dù 。 shēn xíng bào tuì ， chà nà jiān dùn chū qiān zhàng zhī wài ， huí dào le xuán wō wài wéi ān quán de dì diǎn 。
东方曜顿时皮开肉绽，差点当场被开膛破肚。身形暴退，刹那间遁出千丈之外，回到了漩涡外围安全的地点。
He didn't approach but tossed over a healing pill called Hundred Healing Pill, which was specially prepared for him by Liu San during this trip. Though not a miraculous drug like those that could bring the dead back to life or turn flesh into bone, it was an excellent remedy. Most injuries would heal within a few breaths.
“ dào yǒu méi shì ba ！” lǐ fán jiàn zhuàng ， shì shí wèn hòu dào 。
“道友没事吧！”李凡见状，适时问候道。
Eastern Yao caught the pill and swallowed it whole without looking at it.
méi yǒu jìn shēn shàng qián ， zhǐ bù guò dàn guò qù yī kē yù shāng dān yào 。 nǎi shì cǐ cì wài chū liǔ sān tè yì wèi tā zhǔn bèi de 【 bǎi yù dān 】。 suī tán bù shàng huó sǐ rén 、 ròu bái gǔ de shèng yào ， dàn yě shì yù shāng jí pǐn 。 yì bān shāng shì fú xià hòu ， shù xī biàn kě zhì yù 。
没有近身上前，只不过弹过去一颗愈伤丹药。乃是此次外出柳三特意为他准备的【百愈丹】。虽谈不上活死人、肉白骨的圣药，但也是愈伤极品。一般伤势服下后，数息便可治愈。
"Nothing serious! Thank you for your concern!" He said as his wounds had already fully healed, leaving no trace of scars.
dōng fāng yào shēn shǒu jiāng bǎi yù dān jiē zhù ， zhǐ kàn le yī yǎn ， jiù hú lún tūn xià 。
东方曜伸手将百愈丹接住，只看了一眼，就囫囵吞下。
While part of this was due to the Hundred Healing Pill's effectiveness, more credit went to Eastern Yao’s strong constitution.
“ xiǎo shì ！ duō xiè dào yǒu fèi xīn le ！” shuō zhè jù huà de gōng fu ， tā shēn shàng yuán běn kàn shàng qù pǒ wèi cǎn liè de shāng hén ， jìng rán yǐ jīng jìn shù yù hé 。
“小事！多谢道友费心了！”说这句话的功夫，他身上原本看上去颇为惨烈的伤痕，竟然已经尽数愈合。
Li Fan couldn't help but look at him in admiration.
lián dào shāng bā dōu méi yǒu liú xià 。
连道伤疤都没有留下。
"How should I address you?" Eastern Yao stopped his stormy cultivation and flew over to Li Fan.
zhè gù rán yǒu yī bù fèn bǎi yù dān de gōng láo ， dàn gèng duō de shì dōng fāng yào běn rén tǐ zhì zú gòu qiáng hèng 。
这固然有一部分百愈丹的功劳，但更多的是东方曜本人体质足够强横。
"My name is Li Fan. I heard about the wonders of the Great Vortex in Nasty Void State and came to see it. Unbeknownst to me, I would meet such a remarkable person!" Li Fan's eyes sparkled with admiration as he scanned Eastern Yao’s well-defined muscles.
lǐ fán bù yóu de wèi zhī cè mù 。
李凡不由得为之侧目。
"I am called Eastern Yao!" He waved his hand dismissively. "No one special! Just stronger bones!"
“ dào yǒu zěn me chēng hū ？” dōng fāng yào zàn qiě tíng zhǐ le fēng yǔ zhōng de xiū xíng ， fēi shēn lái dào lǐ fán shēn biān 。
“道友怎么称呼？”东方曜暂且停止了风雨中的修行，飞身来到李凡身边。
"Eastern Friend is truly modest. Such a formidable physique—wouldn’t even the legendary Body Cultivators of ancient times match you?" Li Fan exclaimed in wonder.
“ zài xià lǐ fán 。 tīng wén níng xū zhōu dà xuán wō qí jǐng ， gù lù guò qián lái yī guān 。 bù xiǎng jìng rán néng yù jiàn dào yǒu zhè bān qí rén ！” lǐ fán mù guāng zài dōng fāng yào jī ròu xiàn tiáo fēn míng de shēn qū shàng sǎo guò ， yǎn zhōng lù chū yī sī jīng tàn 。
“在下李凡。听闻狞墟州大漩涡奇景，故路过前来一观。不想竟然能遇见道友这般奇人！”李凡目光在东方曜肌肉线条分明的身躯上扫过，眼中露出一丝惊叹。
Eastern Yao laughed heartily: "That’s what I like to hear..."
“ wǒ jiào dōng fāng yào ！” tā bǎi le bǎi shǒu ，“ shén me qí rén ， tán bù shàng ！ jiù shì shēn zi gǔ qiáng zhuàng xiē bà le ！”
“我叫东方曜！”他摆了摆手，“什么奇人，谈不上！就是身子骨强壮些罢了！”
Just as he was about to continue, his gaze suddenly shifted toward the vortex's center.
“ dōng fāng dào yǒu zhēn shì guò fèn zì qiān le 。 ròu shēn rú cǐ qiáng hèng ， jiù suàn shì shàng gǔ zhī shí chuán shuō zhōng de tǐ xiū ， kǒng pà yě bù rú nǐ ba ？” lǐ fán zé zé chēng qí dào 。
“东方道友真是过分自谦了。肉身如此强横，就算是上古之时传说中的体修，恐怕也不如你吧？”李凡啧啧称奇道。
"Friend, wait a moment. I’ll be right back!"
dōng fāng yào hā hā dà xiào ：“ zhè huà wǒ ài tīng ……”
东方曜哈哈大笑：“这话我爱听……”
His voice still echoed when he dashed into the vortex.
tā zhèng yù zài shuō ， què hū de huí tóu ， cháo zhe dà xuán wō zhōng yāng wàng qù 。
他正欲再说，却忽的回头，朝着大漩涡中央望去。
The loud crashes and collisions resumed.
zhǐ jiàn fēng léi shēng zhōng ， sì hū yòu yǒu yī mǒ hēi sè yīn yǐng fú xiàn 。
只见风雷声中，似乎又有一抹黑色阴影浮现。
After several breaths, Eastern Yao returned, his body covered in blood and looking rather disheveled.
“ dào yǒu shāo děng piàn kè ， wǒ qù qù biàn huí ！”
“道友稍等片刻，我去去便回！”
This time, Li Fan didn't pull out the Hundred Healing Pill but watched as Eastern Yao healed himself silently.
shēng yīn hái zài kōng zhōng huí dàng ， rén yǐ jīng rú shǎn diàn bān ， chōng xiàng le xuán wō zhōng yāng 。
声音还在空中回荡，人已经如闪电般，冲向了漩涡中央。
His injuries were worse than before, but he recovered quickly with minimal effort.
jù dà de hōng míng 、 pèng zhuàng shēng zài dù xiǎng qǐ 。
巨大的轰鸣、碰撞声再度响起。
"Turns out I was unnecessarily worried and wasted a fine pill." Li Fan exclaimed, feigning shock.
jǐ gè hū xī hòu ， dōng fāng yào yòu shì hún shēn xiān xuè lín lí 、 kàn shàng qù pǒ wèi láng bèi de huí dào le lǐ fán shēn biān 。
几个呼吸后，东方曜又是浑身鲜血淋漓、看上去颇为狼狈的回到了李凡身边。
"Haha, no waste! It’s still in my belly," Eastern Yao said proudly, patting his stomach.
zhè cì lǐ fán què shì méi yǒu zài tāo chū bǎi yù dān ， ér shì jìng jìng kàn zhe dōng fāng yào zì wǒ liáo shāng 。
这次李凡却是没有再掏出百愈丹，而是静静看着东方曜自我疗伤。
Li Fan was taken aback. He shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Eastern Friend is truly a marvel!"
shāng shì gèng shèng zhī qián ， dàn shì tā yě jǐn jǐn shì duō yòng le xiē xǔ gōng fu ， jiù yǐ jīng jìn shù huī fù 。
伤势更胜之前，但是他也仅仅是多用了些许功夫，就已经尽数恢复。
Eastern Yao remained silent with a smile.
“ yuán lái wǒ shì bái bái dān xīn le ， hái làng fèi le yī kē shàng hǎo dān yào 。” lǐ fán jiàn zhuàng ， mù dèng kǒu dāi ， gù yì rú cǐ shuō dào 。
“原来我是白白担心了，还浪费了一颗上好丹药。”李凡见状，目瞪口呆，故意如此说道。
"Remaining calm for so long at the ancient rift vortex without showing your true colors—Li Daoist, you are indeed a master of keeping a low profile!" After a while, he looked deeply into Li Fan’s eyes, implying something.
“ hā hā ， méi yǒu làng fèi ！ hái zài àn dǔ zi zhōng cáng zhe ne 。” dōng fāng yào yǒu xiē dé yì de pāi le pāi zì jǐ de dǔ zi ， xiào zhe dào 。
“哈哈，没有浪费！还在按肚子中藏着呢。”东方曜有些得意的拍了拍自己的肚子，笑着道。
Li Fan wore an expression of helplessness: "With danger everywhere in the Xuanhuang World, I had to develop some skills before venturing out. But it's just quick recovery techniques; they can’t compare to your methods."
lǐ fán dùn shí è rán ， suí hòu yáo yáo tóu ， kǔ xiào dào ：“ dào yǒu dàng zhēn shì gè miào rén ！”
李凡顿时愕然，随后摇摇头，苦笑道：“道友当真是个妙人！”
"I’ve heard that body cultivation is extremely difficult. You truly are a world-renowned prodigy!" Li Fan said with admiration.
dōng fāng yào xiào ér bù yǔ 。
东方曜笑而不语。
Although Eastern Yao dismissed the praise, his satisfaction was evident.
“ néng zài shàng gǔ liè jiè xuán wō zhī chù ， dài shàng zhè me jiǔ ér miàn bù gǎi sè ， lǐ dào yǒu nǐ yě shì zhēn rén bù lòu xiàng a ！” guò le huì ， tā shēn shēn de kàn le yǎn lǐ fán ， yì yǒu suǒ zhǐ dào 。
“能在上古裂界漩涡之处，待上这么久而面不改色，李道友你也是真人不露相啊！”过了会，他深深的看了眼李凡，意有所指道。
"Merely due to my unique constitution," he said as another black fissure appeared in the vortex’s center. He paused their conversation and dashed into it again.
lǐ fán liǎn shàng lù chū xiē wú nài shén sè ：“ xuán huáng jiè wēi jī biàn dì ， méi yǒu diǎn shǒu duàn ， yòu nǎ lǐ gǎn chū lái luàn guàng 。 bù guò ， zhǐ shì xiē líng qì kuài sù huī fù fǎ mén bà le ， gēn dào yǒu de shǒu duàn xiāng bǐ ， hái shì wàn wàn bǐ bù shàng de 。”
李凡脸上露出些无奈神色：“玄黄界危机遍地，没有点手段，又哪里敢出来乱逛。不过，只是些灵气快速恢复法门罢了，跟道友的手段相比，还是万万比不上的。”
After returning from severe injuries, they resumed their discussion.
“ wǒ céng tīng shuō ， liàn tǐ zhī shù ， xiū xíng jí nán 。 dào yǒu néng liàn dào zhè ge dì bù ， kě yǐ chēng de shàng shì jué shì tiān jiāo le ！” lǐ fán yǒu xiē pèi fú dì shuō dào 。
“我曾听说，炼体之术，修行极难。道友能练到这个地步，可以称得上是绝世天骄了！”李凡有些佩服地说道。
Repeating this several times, Li Fan gradually learned more about Eastern Yao's background.
dōng fāng yào suī rán zuǐ shàng shuō miù zàn le ， dàn shì xīn zhōng de dé yì què shì zěn me yě cáng bú zhù 。
东方曜虽然嘴上说谬赞了，但是心中的得意却是怎么也藏不住。
It turned out that like Ye Feipeng, Eastern Yao harbored a trace of ancient beast blood within him.
“ bù guò shì wǒ tǐ zhì tiān shēng yǒu xiē tè shū bà le 。”
“不过是我体质天生有些特殊罢了。”
Though the bloodlines had thinned over thousands of years to almost negligible levels, he once stumbled upon an extraordinary treasure during a chance encounter. This allowed him to fully unlock his beast’s potential.
shuō zhe ， xuán wō zhōng yāng hēi sè liè xì zài dù chū xiàn ， dōng fāng yào zàn tíng le duì huà ， yòu chōng xiàng qí zhōng 。
说着，漩涡中央黑色裂隙再度出现，东方曜暂停了对话，又冲向其中。
"I was worried it might make me neither human nor beast, but that thing is truly magical," Eastern Yao said with wonder.
Li Fan followed the direction of the voice. There, at the center of the great vortex where wind and lightning clashed violently, was a naked man with a slender yet muscular build. He was roaring into the sky.
Around him, faint whirling tornadoes could be vaguely seen. In the eye of the storm, it was pitch black as if space itself had been torn apart.
The壮汉 swayed in the wind. The tiny whirlwinds flickered on and off with his movements.
Li Fan, who was still some distance from the vortex's center, was already feeling the sharp sting of the gales. But the man at the core, despite being exposed to such ferocious winds, took no precautions. He let the raging gusts batter him, producing a crisp metallic clashing sound.
"He is..."
Li Fan narrowed his eyes. Although this world was his first encounter with this person, he had met him in his previous life briefly. It was Eastern Yao, who oversaw the construction of the Heavenly Xuan Lock Spirit Array in the Ten Thousand Fiery Burn Beach and the Soul Transformation Gorge. He was on good terms with Huafu Song and had already reached the Transcendent Realm at that time.
However, it seemed he hadn't crossed a certain threshold yet; he still resided within the Foundation Establishment Realm.
"Interesting. No aura fluctuations, just relying on his formidable physique to withstand all the gales. I remember that in the Xuanhuang World, body cultivation techniques are constrained by nature and progress slowly after reaching a certain stage. I wonder how he reached this level..."
Li Fan didn't rush forward but observed Eastern Yao's enlightenment from afar.
The fierce winds raged as the water flow of the vortex grew more turbulent. Eastern Yao attempted to stabilize his stance amidst the storm, moving toward the center. With each step, he seemed to hear the faint creaking of his body under immense pressure.
"Humph!" Eastern Yao bellowed, veins bulging on his neck and a faint golden glow enveloping his muscles.
With determination, he continued advancing toward the vortex's core.
Suddenly, a black fissure appeared before him like lightning. It sliced through him as if it were a sword.
"Boom!" A deafening sound echoed through the storm, leaving a bloody mark on Eastern Yao's body and forcing him back several steps.
But he was not alarmed; rather, he seemed pleased.
"Finally, you're here!"
He let out a strange cry. His severe injuries instantly healed as he stomped the void with his feet, launching himself forward by several dozen meters.
The black fissure appeared both abruptly and as if it had always been there, hidden from outsiders.
Black light sliced through Eastern Yao's body along its central line.
"Pfft!"
Eastern Yao's skin split open, nearly causing him to be disemboweled. He retreated in a flash, vanishing more than a thousand feet away back to the vortex’s safe perimeter.
"Friend, are you alright?" Li Fan asked as he observed the scene.
He didn't approach but tossed over a healing pill called Hundred Healing Pill, which was specially prepared for him by Liu San during this trip. Though not a miraculous drug like those that could bring the dead back to life or turn flesh into bone, it was an excellent remedy. Most injuries would heal within a few breaths.
Eastern Yao caught the pill and swallowed it whole without looking at it.
"Nothing serious! Thank you for your concern!" He said as his wounds had already fully healed, leaving no trace of scars.
While part of this was due to the Hundred Healing Pill's effectiveness, more credit went to Eastern Yao’s strong constitution.
Li Fan couldn't help but look at him in admiration.
"How should I address you?" Eastern Yao stopped his stormy cultivation and flew over to Li Fan.
"My name is Li Fan. I heard about the wonders of the Great Vortex in Nasty Void State and came to see it. Unbeknownst to me, I would meet such a remarkable person!" Li Fan's eyes sparkled with admiration as he scanned Eastern Yao’s well-defined muscles.
"I am called Eastern Yao!" He waved his hand dismissively. "No one special! Just stronger bones!"
"Eastern Friend is truly modest. Such a formidable physique—wouldn’t even the legendary Body Cultivators of ancient times match you?" Li Fan exclaimed in wonder.
Eastern Yao laughed heartily: "That’s what I like to hear..."
Just as he was about to continue, his gaze suddenly shifted toward the vortex's center.
"Friend, wait a moment. I’ll be right back!"
His voice still echoed when he dashed into the vortex.
The loud crashes and collisions resumed.
After several breaths, Eastern Yao returned, his body covered in blood and looking rather disheveled.
This time, Li Fan didn't pull out the Hundred Healing Pill but watched as Eastern Yao healed himself silently.
His injuries were worse than before, but he recovered quickly with minimal effort.
"Turns out I was unnecessarily worried and wasted a fine pill." Li Fan exclaimed, feigning shock.
"Haha, no waste! It’s still in my belly," Eastern Yao said proudly, patting his stomach.
Li Fan was taken aback. He shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Eastern Friend is truly a marvel!"
Eastern Yao remained silent with a smile.
"Remaining calm for so long at the ancient rift vortex without showing your true colors—Li Daoist, you are indeed a master of keeping a low profile!" After a while, he looked deeply into Li Fan’s eyes, implying something.
Li Fan wore an expression of helplessness: "With danger everywhere in the Xuanhuang World, I had to develop some skills before venturing out. But it's just quick recovery techniques; they can’t compare to your methods."
"I’ve heard that body cultivation is extremely difficult. You truly are a world-renowned prodigy!" Li Fan said with admiration.
Although Eastern Yao dismissed the praise, his satisfaction was evident.
"Merely due to my unique constitution," he said as another black fissure appeared in the vortex’s center. He paused their conversation and dashed into it again.
After returning from severe injuries, they resumed their discussion.
Repeating this several times, Li Fan gradually learned more about Eastern Yao's background.
It turned out that like Ye Feipeng, Eastern Yao harbored a trace of ancient beast blood within him.
Though the bloodlines had thinned over thousands of years to almost negligible levels, he once stumbled upon an extraordinary treasure during a chance encounter. This allowed him to fully unlock his beast’s potential.
"I was worried it might make me neither human nor beast, but that thing is truly magical," Eastern Yao said with wonder.