FRGNM -Chapter 158 Earthspike Dragon

She only remembered that when they were together back then, that man had once said, “Don’t invest too much emotion. Otherwise, when the time comes to leave, it will only hurt you more.”

Whether it was Luo Mingyu or him, she couldn’t let either go. Even separating from Fang Xu, Qingyi… she couldn’t do it.

“Luo Mingyu…” She didn’t know if she had missed something. She only felt as if something were clogging her heart, unbearably painful and impossible to relinquish.

Reaching out to shield the foolish woman before him, Luo Mingyu completely ignored the Dongdu King’s words. He pressed down on her small head, a wicked yet gentle smile appearing at the corner of his lips—the roguish tenderness meant only for her. He would never put on a sour face in front of the woman he loved.

“What are you doing—what are you doing!” Facing that evil smile, Ling Ruoxi felt a bad premonition rise from the depths of her heart. She leaned backward, staring helplessly at the man before her.

In the end, the man broke into a laugh, wrapping an arm around her slender waist. “Ling Ruoxi!”

“Yes, sir!” She answered instinctively, then wished she could slap herself. Back in her agent training days, responding was mandatory—and now, from this damned man, she smelled that same military aura, making her reply without thinking.

Pinching her soft waist, Luo Mingyu smiled lightly. “Your mission right now is to gain weight! Have these past days been abuse by the Dongdu King or something? You’re so thin—it makes my heart ache.”

“You…” Ling Ruoxi froze slightly, looking at the man beside her, not knowing what to say. She was thin—she knew that. But so what? Did training on Death Island require her to gain weight too?

Curling his lips, Luo Mingyu rubbed her small head and laughed softly. “Only when you’re full can I finally… eat you.”

“Pfft!” Nearly choking on her own saliva, Ling Ruoxi punched Luo Mingyu hard. Only then did she understand why he hadn’t touched her earlier. With his old temper, seeing her like this, he would have pounced long ago. But now…

What she didn’t understand was that there was an extra trace of respect in Luo Mingyu’s eyes. Even though this woman belonged to him, he was unwilling to hurt her now. That body, thin to the bone—how could it withstand his desire?

Besides, it had been three years. His longing for her had never faded. Even during that time, he had survived by clinging to that thought alone. Seeing her again—how could he not be stirred? Yet…

She was thinner. And his heart hurt even more.

“Luo Mingyu, I’ll strangle you!” Ling Ruoxi grabbed his cheeks and glared fiercely at him.

Luo Mingyu only laughed foolishly and asked gently, “During this time, what kind of training did the Dongdu King put you through?”

“Huh? I’m begging you, don’t think of the Dongdu King as that filthy, okay? We were just—”
Her face flushed even redder in an instant. What exactly was this man trying to do?

“I’m asking what training the Dongdu King gave you, sweetheart. You’re being naughty—your thoughts ran astray.” Luo Mingyu said lightly, pinching her cheek.

Ling Ruoxi’s face turned even redder. Even with two hundred percent of her IQ, she couldn’t keep up here. Shooting Luo Mingyu a look, she said irritably, “What else? I was chased by River-Crossing Black Ants for three months. With the Dongdu King’s help, I barely managed to reach unity of heaven and man, enough to evade their attacks.”

“……”

“He let you be attacked by River-Crossing Black Ants from the very beginning?” Even Luo Mingyu couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air. Anyone who knew Death Island would dread being entangled by its beasts—let alone the dreaded River-Crossing Black Ants!

Covering his forehead helplessly, Luo Mingyu had originally planned to save this most troublesome trial for last. Who would’ve thought she had already passed it within three months?

Reaching the state of unity of heaven and man was extremely difficult. If even a trace of distraction existed in one’s heart, it was impossible. And under the pursuit of so many River-Crossing Black Ants, she had actually managed to enter that state—not simple at all.

“Then what came next?” Luo Mingyu smiled faintly. He had stayed on Qiongyu Immortal Island for hundreds of years—this place was practically his own backyard.

“After that, it was meditation—making sure my Dou Qi doesn’t regress.” Ling Ruoxi nodded, propping her chin with her hand. Her whole body suddenly trembled. After three months of training, the Dou Qi within her had become even more concrete. Who would have thought that cultivating on Death Island could further solidify the manifestation of her Dou Qi?

Yes—then next would be…

Luo Mingyu smiled, reaching out to touch her long hair, about to speak—

When a violent tremor interrupted him.

“Roar!”

A ferocious Earthspike Dragon towered within the forest. Its powerful tail swept out violently, and more than a dozen towering trees behind it were abruptly knocked down.

Ling Ruoxi stared in horror at the Earthspike Dragon before her. It looked much like a Western dragon, its protruding spikes standing erect. Its tough hide was like a layer of armor—impervious to blades and spears. Its sharp claws could easily tear apart solid rock, and even its fangs could crush mountain stone with ease.

“An Earthspike Dragon—a high-level magical beast! How could it appear here?!” In Ling Ruoxi’s memory, these creatures lived on land. They were absolutely not social beasts, and it was impossible for them to appear on an island!

Luo Mingyu chuckled softly and pressed a hand to her fragrant shoulder. “On this continent, nothing is impossible. This is the gift the Dongdu King left us—and your second trial.”

“What?! You’re not telling me I have to kill it by myself, are you?!” Every hair on Ling Ruoxi’s body nearly stood on end. Even in the outside world, she couldn’t possibly slaughter such a beast—let alone on Death Island, where her Dou Qi was suppressed. She couldn’t win even if she fought!

Luo Mingyu shook his head helplessly with a smile. “Wrong. How could I bear to let you face this beast alone? It’s actually very simple. Three hours a day—so long as you can escape, that’s enough. This second trial isn’t about brute force or Dou Qi, but speed. Win against it with your speed.”

Damn you! How is this called ‘not bearing it’?!

Ling Ruoxi nearly burst into tears. This was absolutely intentional. While Earthspike Dragons weren’t particularly fast, their destructive power was terrifying—even from a thousand meters away, they could cause devastation.

“Why that expression? If you don’t try, how will you know? Relax—it’s only three hours a day. Afterward, I’ll make something tasty and wait for your triumphant return.” With a snap of his fingers, Luo Mingyu laughed playfully, pointing at the Earthspike Dragon ahead. “Careful—it’s coming.”

“Get lost!” Wanting nothing more than to kick the man flying, Ling Ruoxi shot forward like an arrow leaving the bow. Even if beaten to death, she never would’ve imagined that the Dongdu King’s ‘gift’ would be this second trial!

Damn it—does this mean I have to keep running like this forever?!

“Boom!”

The massive tail swept out violently. The towering trees ahead creaked and snapped, all breaking cleanly in half.

Rolling clouds of dust surged up like ocean waves, splashing more than ten meters into the air.

“Damn your ancestors!” Even the tiny figure far away couldn’t help but curse as she was blasted away by the shockwave, smashing hard into solid rock.

In that instant, Ling Ruoxi nearly spat out her internal organs. It was just the aftershock—yet it was already this terrifyingly powerful.

“Ruoxi, hang in there!” The man watching from the side looked relaxed, but worry flickered in his eyes. His clenched fists bulged with veins. Remembering the Dongdu King’s words from the night before, he finally lowered his hands.

“Since you insist on staying, I have nothing more to say. But with her in your heart, how could you bear to watch her suffer? You will definitely intervene. Yet once you do, her training loses its original meaning.”

“This is your matter—I won’t interfere,” Luo Mingyu had replied. He, too, didn’t want his wife taken away by another man—for three whole years.

“Evil King,” the Dongdu King had said, his back to them, “you should know why Ruoxi chose to stay and train for three years. Please don’t trample on her pride—the pride of a strong person. Her hardship isn’t only for rescuing her mother, but for becoming stronger. I’m entrusting her to you not so you can show off and save her, nor so you can pity her. She has her bonded magical beast—if she encounters danger, it will save her. Remember: do not intervene.”

“Even if she is weak now, don’t step on her dignity. This is a battle of pride. Do you understand?”

Those familiar words still echoed in his ears. Luo Mingyu could only turn his head away, forcing himself to be cruel—refusing to trample her pride, choosing to believe that she could do it.

“Pfft!” Blood sprayed from Ling Ruoxi’s mouth. She glanced toward Luo Mingyu—she couldn’t let that man see her as a joke. Hastily wiping the blood from her lips, the woman who had been blasted against the cliff sprang up like a monkey and shot outward with a whoosh.

The Earthspike Dragon roared, its massive body striding forward. With every step, the ground trembled. Though its movement speed was slow, each step covered an enormous distance.

Just as Ling Ruoxi was congratulating herself for running fast, she felt the ground shudder violently. She looked up—

And her face instantly drained of color.

She saw the Earthspike Dragon stomp down and leap into the air. Ling Ruoxi’s expression turned ghastly—she nearly cursed out loud.

Who the hell said Earthspike Dragons were clumsy, couldn’t jump high, and weren’t fast?! At this very moment, Ling Ruoxi wanted nothing more than to burn every book she had ever read.

Her thin body stiffened for an instant—then she shot forward at top speed. Even Luo Mingyu, watching from afar, couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat as he stared at that tiny figure.

“Boom!”

The massive body crashed down from the sky, smashing violently into the ground. The towering trees beneath let out creaking cries as they snapped under the sheer weight.

A deep crater appeared in the earth. With that single leap, the Earthspike Dragon covered more than a thousand meters—faster than Ling Ruoxi’s desperate escape.