Chapter 20: The Divine Doctor's Arrival Shakes the Soul

The fissure yawned like the maw of a monstrous beast, tearing apart the once tranquil sky.

Niu Yichen stared into the bottomless black abyss, alarm bells ringing loudly in his mind.

"Damn, going all out, huh?" he couldn't help but mutter.

This was no joke. The aura seeping from the crack was leagues beyond that of the old man he’d encountered before.

It felt like...

Like an elementary school student facing a university professor—not even on the same level!

“Yichen, what’s going on?” Zhan Qingxue gripped his arm tightly, her voice trembling slightly.

Though she had witnessed Niu Yichen turn the tide of battles before, the bizarre scene before them instinctively stirred fear in her heart.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here,” Niu Yichen said, turning his hand to clasp hers, offering reassurance.

But despite his words, he felt no ease within.

The aura radiating from the fissure stirred a restless energy within his own long-life force—a very ominous sign.

Suddenly, a powerful suction surged from the crack. Trees, rocks, even dust on the ground quivered violently, drawn relentlessly by an invisible force toward the fissure.

“Holy crap, this suction’s insane!” Niu Yichen cursed under his breath, hastily grabbing hold of a massive boulder to steady himself.

Zhan Qingxue mimicked him, clutching another large rock.

The howling wind whipped around them, sand and stones flying—a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

The suction intensified, and Niu Yichen felt his arm nearly torn from its socket.

He glanced at Zhan Qingxue, noticing her pale face and the beads of sweat covering her brow.

This couldn’t continue; he had to think of a way.

“Yichen...” her voice faltered with despair. “I... I don’t think I can hold on much longer...”

He clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

He knew a decision had to be made.

Drawing a deep breath, he fixed his gaze on her, speaking steadily, “Qingxue, hold onto me tight!”

She thought he intended to resist the terrifying suction with his long-life force, so she gripped the rock harder.

But in the next instant, Niu Yichen suddenly let go...

He released the boulder—not to surrender, but to strike back!

Seizing her hand, he leapt with her, riding the terrifying suction straight toward the fissure!

“Damn it! Yichen, are you crazy?!” Qingxue screamed, terrified out of her wits, fearing a mutual demise. The thrill was like a roller coaster, her heart pounding wildly.

“Afraid? Hold tight!” Niu Yichen laughed heartily, adjusting his posture midair. One arm wrapped around her slender waist, while the other danced swiftly, golden light flickering at his fingertips.

He wasn’t reckless; this seemingly mad move was carefully calculated.

Better to take the initiative than be passively sucked in, to seize control!

Qingxue held him tightly, feeling his steady heartbeat, her fear easing bit by bit.

To her surprise, despite the immense suction, she felt no discomfort.

The violent airflow seemed tamed by an unseen force, gentle and obedient, carrying them smoothly toward the fissure’s heart.

Niu Yichen wasn’t fleeing for his life—he was playing an extreme sport!

He controlled the air currents with ease, teasing, “How’s that for excitement? Want to go again?”

Qingxue could only laugh and cry at his audacity—joking at a time like this.

But his calm confidence comforted her greatly.

“Yichen, how do you do it?” she asked curiously.

“Hehe, that’s a secret,” he smiled mysteriously, keeping his cards close.

Of course, he wouldn’t reveal that he was skillfully manipulating the air currents around him using his long-life force combined with medical techniques, allowing him to navigate the violent suction effortlessly.

The fissure loomed closer, darkness threatening to engulf them.

Suddenly, a powerful energy wave pulsed from deep within the crack, shaking his long-life force violently.

“It’s coming!” Niu Yichen’s voice hardened.

He tightened his embrace around Qingxue, bracing for impact.

“Yichen...” her voice trembled.

Before he could finish, an overwhelming force dragged them into the fissure...

Pitch blackness swallowed them, as if falling into an endless abyss.

After a dizzying spin, they crashed heavily onto the ground.

“Ouch, my old back!” Niu Yichen groaned, rubbing his behind—definitely not a graceful landing.

Looking up, he was dumbfounded by their surroundings.

“What the hell is this place?” he muttered, expecting hellish depths but instead finding a dazzling, surreal space.

Strange plants glowed with phosphorescence, like Pandora from Avatar.

The air was thick with mysterious energy, stirring his long-life force to restless life.

“Yichen, look!” Qingxue pointed ahead, wonder in her voice.

Following her gaze, Niu Yichen saw a blazing red area radiating heat, as if a giant furnace lay before them.

Before they could react, the environment shifted again.

The warm air turned biting cold, snowflakes fluttered, and ice formed on the ground—as if plunging into an Ice Age.

“This change is faster than flipping pages!” Niu Yichen quipped, activating his long-life force to shield them both.

At that moment, several energy-formed creatures appeared.

They took various forms: giant spiders, winged lions, and even a squirming mass resembling a slime.

“This style shift is ridiculous. Are they messing with us?” Niu Yichen grumbled.

The monsters roared and lunged at them.

“Come on, little darlings, let me teach you a lesson!” he rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.

Drawing golden needles, his wrists flicked with dazzling speed like a martial arts master.

“Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!” The needles struck precise acupuncture points, temporarily paralyzing the beasts.

Qingxue searched for weaknesses.

She noticed that although fierce in attack, their defense was weak and movement sluggish.

“Yichen! Their weak spots are on their heads!” she shouted.

He immediately adjusted his aim, sending needles flying like bullets, hitting their targets perfectly.

Despite sustaining some wounds, Niu Yichen’s deep understanding of the long-life force allowed rapid healing, terrifying the monsters as if witnessing the impossible.

“How... how is this possible?!” one creature cried in panic. “He... he can heal instantly!”

“Yichen, look at this energy...” Qingxue suddenly pointed at the surrounding aura, puzzled. “I feel like it can be absorbed...”

Niu Yichen’s heart stirred. Tentatively, he reached out and touched the energy.

A warm current surged into him like sipping hot milk tea on a winter’s day, comforting enough to make him almost moan.

“Damn, you can absorb this?!” He widened his eyes, feeling his long-life force greedily devouring the energy like parched earth welcoming rain.

Qingxue copied him, attempting absorption as well.

Though it didn’t noticeably enhance her body, she felt refreshed and invigorated.

“Jackpot!” Niu Yichen shouted excitedly, as if discovering a new world.

He began absorbing the energy wildly, his long-life force swelling, a dazzling light blazing around him like a miniature sun, pushing the monsters back.

“What... what is this power?!” the creatures stared in terror, suffocated by the overwhelming aura, as if confronting an entity from a higher dimension.

“Yichen, you’re amazing!” Qingxue gazed at the radiant figure, admiration shining in her eyes.

“Hehe, just basic skills. Don’t praise me too much.” Niu Yichen smiled smugly, thrilled.

It was like playing a game with invincibility cheat codes—pure exhilaration.

Clenching his fist, he savored the surging power, a newfound confidence blossoming within.

“Come on, little darlings, let grandpa send you off!” he shouted, charging at the monsters.

Empowered, Niu Yichen fought like a war god, one punch felling each foe, leaving them utterly defeated.

“Yichen, watch out!” Qingxue suddenly cried.

Startled, he dodged swiftly.

A giant spider descended from above, its sharp legs striking at him.

“Damn, a sneak attack? You think I’m a pushover?” Niu Yichen snorted, evading with a flash.

He countered with a fierce punch to the spider’s head.

“Bang!” The spider’s head exploded, dissipating into a cloud of energy.

“That’s it?” Niu Yichen sneered. “Too weak. No challenge at all.”

Just as they thought they were safe, a deep, solemn roar echoed from the fissure’s depths—majestic and furious, like a primordial beast’s cry, chilling to the bone.

The air trembled; the ground shook.

“What... what’s that sound?” Qingxue paled, clutching his arm tightly.

“Not sure, but it doesn’t feel good...” Niu Yichen’s expression grew grave.

He squeezed her hand firmly, voice low: “Let’s go check it out.”

Qingxue nodded, following cautiously toward the source of the roar.

“Yichen... I... I feel...” Qingxue suddenly stopped, voice quivering.

“What is it?” he turned to her.

She pointed ahead, face pale, lips trembling—but no words came forth...