"Hongmao..."
On the reef, the young woman with an ethereal aura frowned, her red lips parting slightly.
Her ethereal and gentle voice continuously murmured this name.
Hongmao.
To her, he was more important than life itself.
But...
Why couldn't she remember his face clearly?
Lantu struggled in pain, feeling as if thousands of steel needles were piercing her head, the agony unbearable.
The effects of the Fountain of Youth were unsolvable in this world...
Even Hongmao's power, which had reached the thirteenth level of the Fire Dance Cyclone, surpassing even Heixin Hu at his peak, could be completely dissipated.
Naturally, most of the memories in Lantu's heart and soul were also washed away by the Fountain of Youth.
The only things she remembered were the name 'Hongmao' and his importance in her heart.
'I must find Hongmao.'
'Hongmao is more important to me than life itself.'
"Hey, wake up!"
Suddenly, a cold voice reached Lantu's ears, feeling somewhat familiar.
Her vision gradually cleared.
The full picture of the world before her also hazily unfolded in Lantu's eyes.
"This is... where?"
Lantu looked around at the unfamiliar environment, her tone carrying a hint of fragility.
Gloomy, damp.
Prison doors made of refined iron completely sealed the room.
The quiet, murderous atmosphere all around highlighted the danger of this place.
"This is the underground gladiator arena on Coconut Island. Both of us are gladiator warriors under the boss. Win, or die. Those are the only two choices."
From Lantu's right side, a young man with a cold and stern expression spoke calmly and deeply.
'"Coconut Island underground gladiator... Ah, my head hurts!"
Lantu murmured softly, as if trying to recall something.
However, the sudden, intense headache made her delicate brows furrow, and she almost fell.
"Are you okay?!"
The cold young man quickly walked over, his face full of concern.
His originally indifferent expression changed to one of tsundere, awkward care.
Towards Lantu, he had actually always been somewhat attentive.
This gentle, water-like young woman with an ethereal aura...
Her appearance bore a vague resemblance to his deceased mother.
The young man was aloof by nature, but deeply attached to the mother he relied on for survival.
And Lantu seemed like the image of his mother in her youth.
Causing the young man's heart, which he thought was frozen, to tremble slightly again.
"I'm fine, just a little... Did you save me?"
Lantu looked at the young man before her, shook her head with effort, and asked weakly.
'You could say that. But I came to be a gladiator warrior. Although I saved you, I didn't have any other place to take you, so I brought you along. If you want to leave, I can plead with the boss.'
Hantian resumed that cold and proud expression.
However, the shyness flashing in his eyes betrayed his true feelings.
That day, by the sea, he had saved the unconscious Lantu, and the crying infant, Daben, beside her.
At that time, Hantian's sole desire was to get to the gladiator arena as soon as possible to earn money and redeem his mother's pearl necklace.
It was the most important keepsake for him.
However…
Lantu's ethereal, immortal-like, gentle, water-like gaze instantly stirred Hantian's heart.
So similar.
Lantu's expression of strength within softness was exactly like the portrait of his mother in her youth.
Although Lantu's features were more exquisite, her beauty peerless, her demeanor couldn't lie.
She must be a woman as gentle, virtuous, and tender as his mother.
Holding onto a thread of admiring selfishness,
Hantian left the infant Daben in a nearby village and brought Lantu to the gladiator arena and registered them as two gladiator warriors.
He hoped to fight alongside Lantu, or at least spend a little more time with her.
Of course, if this ethereal, immortal-like young woman insisted on leaving, Hantian would desperately plead with the boss to let her go.
"Is that so... I don't really have anywhere to go for now. If it's with you, I'm willing to stay here a while longer."
Lantu looked at Hantian. Before her eyes, a blurry shadow seemed to overlap with his figure.
That shadow made Lantu feel incredibly attached and secure.
Almost without thinking, she blossomed into a goddess-like smile and gently nodded.
"Mm."
Hantian nodded, trying hard to maintain a calm appearance.
But the corner of his mouth, curving up involuntarily, betrayed him.
"By the way, I still don't know your name? I'm Lantu."
Seeing Hantian's amusing expression, Lantu couldn't help but chuckle and greeted him generously.
"My name is Hantian, codename 'Frost Warrior'."
Hantian turned his face away, snorting tsunderely.
'Han?'
Lantu's delicate brows couldn't help but furrow slightly.
'Why was it this name?'
'It was Hantian who saved me. Then... who was Hongmao?'
'No... Hong... Mao... My head hurts!'
A wave of intense headache made Lantu's memory blur again.
'No, I can't keep thinking about it.'
She shook her head vigorously, trying to cast the name 'Hongmao' out of her mind.
'Don't worry about... 'Hongmao' anymore.'
'It was 'Hantian' who saved me, who brought me here.'
'Right now, the person I could rely on was only 'Hantian'.'
At this moment, in the group chat, Hei Xiaohu opened a private chat and asked Hattori:
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: Group Owner, may I ask, what kind of tribulations will Hongmao actually experience that make you feel he might embark on the path of darkening?]
Hei Xiaohu looked at the information in the group chat, feeling somewhat curious inside.
His understanding of Hongmao could be said to be deeper than even Lantu's.
Only an enemy can give an objective and fair evaluation of their opponent.
In Hei Xiaohu's impression, Hongmao was resolute, tenacious, and indomitable. Almost nothing could make him break down.
Even if poisoned by ancient, rare toxins, or heavily surrounded, trapped in a desperate situation, he would grit his teeth and persevere, achieving a decisive victory in adversity.
Faced with such a hero, even Hei Xiaohu, as his opponent, couldn't help but feel a sense of mutual respect and wanted to recruit him under his command.
How could he undergo a drastic change in disposition because of future events, even to the point of darkening?
[Dark Group Owner: Why do you ask? Do you think, given his character, it's fundamentally impossible for him to darken?]
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: Although I hate to admit it, that's indeed the case. Before joining the Darkening Group, in terms of mental fortitude and perseverance, I was inferior to him.]
Hei Xiaohu sighed lightly and admitted frankly.
[Dark Group Owner: Hahaha, I never thought the stubborn, self-willed Hei Xiaohu could now frankly admit others' merits. Very good, this is more like the bearing of a potential overlord.]
[Dark Group Owner: However, Hongmao's situation is truly special. Ordinary pain and torment indeed cannot defeat him. Instead, they make him grow step by step, achieving victory in adversity.]
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: ...Then, what is it?]
"Sigh."
In the parallel world, Hattori let out a long sigh, a helpless expression appearing on his face.
"The word 'love' wounds the deepest."
[Dark Group Owner: Even a hero who cares for the world may not be able to remain detached when faced with the trial of 'love'.]