No matter how hot the weather, the mornings in Zhuxi Village were always very cool. Moreover, it was already nearing the end of summer.
Looking out at Zhuxi Village from the attic, a thin layer of mist enveloped the village.
Wisps of smoke curled up into the sky above the village.
The rising sun looked exceptionally red, its rays piercing through the mist that shrouded Zhuxi Village, casting a radiant hue.
At this moment, the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking, rising and falling throughout the village, seemed somewhat ethereal by comparison.
Cheng Xiaofan stood on the balcony of the attic, a faint smile on his face, chewing the gum Bai Yiling had given him. He found the scenery before him to be different from usual, feeling particularly beautiful.
Could it be that the intense merging he had experienced with Bai Yiling in his dream last night had brought him a different mood than usual?
Indeed!
It must be so!
Although it was a dream, it felt real.
He glanced at the two rows of small, fine tooth marks on his shoulder.
This was the gift Bai Yiling had given him during the wild frenzy on the dragon boat.
He just couldn't imagine how Bai Yiling had appeared on the dragon boat!
In his hand, he held the last piece of gum.
After finishing one piece of gum, Cheng Xiaofan peeled the wrapper off another and put it in his mouth. The cool and sweet aroma made his taste buds feel subtle and gentle.
One thing Cheng Xiaofan was certain of was that on the dragon boat in his dream last night, he and Bai Yiling had experienced a profound fusion of spirits.
Ding-a-ling!
At this moment, Cheng Xiaofan's phone rang.
He took out his phone and found it was his mother calling.
"Mom, why are you calling so early in the morning?" Cheng Xiaofan asked with a smile.
Miao Xiuhua's voice was hurried. "Xiaofan, hurry home. Yiling seems to have a problem with her health, go and check on her!"
Hearing this, Cheng Xiaofan was instantly alarmed. "Okay, I'll be right back!"
Since Bai Yiling's cancer had been cured, her health had been very robust. Coupled with the daily boost from the energy water, there shouldn't be any problems!
However, his mother's urgent call definitely meant something was wrong.
Cheng Xiaofan hung up the phone, immediately got on his motorcycle, and sped out of the yard, down the hillside, rushing home.
"Mom, where's Yiling?" As soon as he arrived home, Cheng Xiaofan immediately asked Miao Xiuhua.
Miao Xiuhua quickly replied, "Yiling has gone to the bathroom to take a bath."
Cheng Xiaofan was taken aback and asked, "Why would Yiling want to take a bath so early in the morning?"
Miao Xiuhua said, "She had no choice! Yiling got up this morning, and suddenly she broke out in a sweat all over her body. The sweat was black and gave off a foul odor."
"Your dad and I were frightened when we saw it, so we called you right away!"
Hearing Miao Xiuhua's account, Cheng Xiaofan was once again stunned. How was this possible!
This kind of phenomenon, where the body exuded such sweat, only occurred for cultivators when they were on the verge of a breakthrough, as their limbs and bones were being cleansed by spiritual energy.
What was being expelled was not sweat, but toxins and impurities from within the body.
Once these internal toxins and impurities were expelled, the person would be elevated to an entirely new level, no longer comparable to ordinary people.
Just then, Bai Yiling emerged from the bathroom after her bath.
Miao Xiuhua saw Bai Yiling at a glance and was about to go forward, but suddenly froze, exclaiming with a look of shock, "Yiling, you..."
When Cheng Xiaofan's gaze fell upon Bai Yiling, he too was stunned into silence.
A dense spiritual energy flickered around Bai Yiling's body, and this spiritual energy was incredibly pure. She seemed to have undergone a complete purification.
What a devastatingly beautiful countenance this was!
Even a celestial maiden descending from the heavens would be no more than this!
"Mom, what's wrong with me?"
Bai Yiling's voice was as clear as a phoenix's cry, exuding an unparalleled fairy-like aura. Her entire demeanor and temperament had undergone a qualitative change from the inside out.
Indeed!
This was an evolution!
This was a rebirth!
It was something ordinary people would struggle to achieve even with a lifetime of effort.
Yet, this metamorphosis from quantity to quality had occurred in Bai Yiling!
No wonder his mother had let out such a ear-splitting scream when she saw her earlier.
Even Cheng Xiaofan could not believe his eyes. Bai Yiling was already impossibly beautiful, but who knew that a beauty at her peak could continue to evolve in her beauty.
Miao Xiuhua finally came to her senses after a long while and said with surprise, "Yiling, you look like a different person, even more beautiful. Your skin is as white as milk; I dare not touch you, for fear of squeezing out the moisture."
"You smell so fragrant! Is it said that the legendary Fragrant Concubine was nothing more than this?"
"Yiling, you already looked like a fairy, and now you look even more like one!"
"Mom, isn't that an exaggeration?" Bai Yiling blushed shyly at Miao Xiuhua's words.
Miao Xiuhua said, "I'm not exaggerating at all. If you don't believe me, go to your bedroom and look in the mirror; everything I've said is true!"
"Okay, I'll go and see!"
Accompanied by Miao Xiuhua, Bai Yiling did indeed go to the bedroom.
From beginning to end, she did not notice Cheng Xiaofan standing beside her.
Soon, Bai Yiling's surprised cry came from the bedroom, "Ah, Mom, how could this be?"
"Yiling, Xiaofan said that drinking the energy water and the 'Happy Wine' regularly not only strengthens the body but also has the effect of beautifying the complexion. I think it must have taken effect on you!" Miao Xiuhua said with a smile.
Cheng Xiaofan nodded in agreement.
What his mother said was one aspect. Another important reason was likely the profound fusion of their spirits last night, which played a crucial role in this transformation.
He hadn't expected that the fusion of spirits could bring about such a thorough cleansing and transformation for Bai Yiling.
"Ah, Xiaofan, you're home!"
Just then, Bai Yiling came out of the bedroom and finally noticed Cheng Xiaofan.
Instantly, a captivating blush spread across her peerless face, as if she had done something shameful. Her delicate body trembled slightly with embarrassment.
"Yiling, how was the taste of the Joy Fruit?" Cheng Xiaofan asked softly.
Bai Yiling's face was so red it seemed about to bleed. She let out a faint hum like a mosquito, too embarrassed to utter a word.
"Xiaofan, do you think Yiling's physical condition is okay?"
At this moment, Miao Xiuhua came out of the house and asked Cheng Xiaofan.
"Don't worry, Yiling is fine."
Cheng Xiaofan quickly said, "Because she has been drinking a lot of energy water recently, what she expelled this morning was just toxins and impurities from her body. This is a good thing!"
"The more she expels, the healthier she will be, and the more beautiful she will become!"
Miao Xiuhua heard this and breathed a long sigh of relief, smiling, "You scared me to death! Hearing you say that makes me happy!"
Just then, Cheng Fugui came out of the kitchen. Hearing their conversation, he chuckled, "Good, good, good, as long as Yiling is alright!"
"Everyone, let's sit down at the table. I'll serve the food!"
During the meal, Cheng Xiaofan noticed that only their family was present and asked, "Eh, why haven't those technical personnel come over?"
Miao Xiuhua said with a smile, "Those people saw your dad busy cooking and preparing dishes all day, so they didn't want to eat here anymore. They said they would cook for themselves!"
Bai Yiling laughed, "Let them be. Once everything here is on track, we'll build a proper canteen, and everything will be easier to handle!"