Skinwalker Belle – Chapter 169 – Because You Are the Dragon Flame

Long Yan’s voice trembled with the relief of having survived a disaster.

He stared at the familiar figure, his mind a chaotic mess.

How could Ning Shuang be here?

Shouldn’t she be in Azurewood City?

And Little Rou…

“Where’s Little Rou? Where is she?” Long Yan struggled to stand, but the wounds all over his body made him pause, and a cold sweat instantly soaked his clothes.

Lin Fan turned around, her golden vertical pupils gazing at him calmly.

“Don’t move. You’re heavily injured.”

She walked to Long Yan’s side, squatted down, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

The force pushed Long Yan back to the ground. He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with anxiety.

“Ning Shuang, Little Rou, she…”

“That little fox is fine,” Lin Fan interrupted him, her tone indifferent. “She was just injured and passed out. I had someone take her back to Azurewood City for treatment.”

Long Yan’s entire body relaxed as if all his strength had been drained.

“Is… is she really okay?”

“Mhm.” Lin Fan nodded, glancing sideways at Long Yan.

“She was calling out ‘Brother Long Yan, Brother Long Yan’ quite energetically, you know.”

Long Yan, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, was suddenly embarrassed again.

“Ning Shuang, don’t misunderstand… We… we’re just friends…”

His voice carried the relief of survival, along with a barely perceptible trace of guilt.

Lin Fan looked at him, mentally calculating her next words.

This guy, Long Yan, had a deep obsession with “Long Ningshuang,” but his gratitude toward “the little fox Su Rou” was also genuine.

In this situation, if she didn’t handle it well, it would be easy for him to feel a sense of disconnect between her two identities.

So…

“I know. She stood up for you. She’s a good kid.”

Lin Fan stood up and took out a small white shoe from her Storage Space.

Rеαԁ on KαtReaԁіոɡСаfe

The shoe was tiny and still stained with a bit of dirt.

It was the very one that had fallen off while she was dealing with the demonic ape.

Long Yan froze when he saw the shoe.

“This is…”

“The little fox’s,” Lin Fan said, handing the shoe to him. “She dropped it while fighting that demonic ape to save you.”

Long Yan took the shoe, his movements gentle as if he were holding a fragile treasure.

He looked down at the shoe, his throat bobbing.

“I… I owe her my life.”

A slight curve appeared on Lin Fan’s lips as she watched him.

“So, the next time you see her, you can return the shoe to her yourself.”

Long Yan looked up, a flicker of determination in his golden eyes.

“I will.”

He paused, his voice a little hoarse.

“Not just the shoe. She saved my life. I will definitely repay this debt of gratitude.”

Lin Fan nodded.

“Remember your words.”

She turned and walked to the demonic ape’s corpse, squatted down, and reached into the mangled flesh.

Long Yan watched her, a complicated look in his eyes.

Ning Shuang’s strength was even greater than he had imagined.

Against this level-six demonic ape, all he had managed to do with his full strength was barely blind one of its eyes.

But now, the demonic ape was dead.

Which meant…

Ning Shuang had killed it.

Long Yan tightened his grip on the shoe.

Rеαⅾ on KatReaⅾіոgСafе

He was too weak.

So weak that he couldn’t even protect the person he wanted to protect.

So weak that he could only watch as a little fox risked her life for him.

So weak… that he could only rely on Ning Shuang.

“Here.”

Lin Fan’s voice broke his train of thought.

Long Yan looked up and saw a fist-sized purple Crystal in Lin Fan’s hand.

A dark luster flowed across the Crystal’s surface, its energy fluctuations so intense that the surrounding air was faintly distorting.

A level-six Crystal.

Long Yan’s pupils contracted abruptly.

“This… this is…”

“The level-six demonic ape’s Crystal.” Lin Fan handed it to him. “Take it.”

Long Yan subconsciously took the Crystal, a warm sensation spreading from his palm.

He looked at the Crystal in his hand, then back at Lin Fan, feeling as if something was caught in his throat.

“Ning Shuang, this…”

“Don’t you want to become stronger?” Lin Fan cut him off, her tone calm. “This Crystal is enough to restore you to level six.”

Long Yan clenched his fist around the Crystal.

He knew the value of a level-six Crystal.

On the Dragon Spirit Continent, even the Pureblood Dragon Clan wouldn’t casually part with a level-six Crystal.

But Ning Shuang…

She had given him something so precious without even batting an eye.

“Why?” Long Yan’s voice was very hoarse. “Why are you so good to me?”

Lin Fan looked at him, her golden vertical pupils devoid of any fluctuation.

“Because you are Long Yan.”

Rеаⅾ оn ΚаtRеаⅾiոgСαfе

Her voice was soft, but every word was like a nail hammered into Long Yan’s heart.

Long Yan’s eyes turned red.

He bit his lip hard, refusing to let his tears fall.

“I…”

“Get some rest.” Lin Fan stood up and patted the dust off her skirt. “Absorb the Crystal quickly and recover your strength as soon as possible.”

Long Yan took a deep breath and nodded heavily.

Lin Fan turned to leave, but after two steps, she stopped again.

“By the way, do you want to return to Azurewood City with me?”

Long Yan was silent for a few seconds.

“I’ll wait until I’ve recovered to level six.” His voice was firm. “I will go to Azurewood City to find you.”

Lin Fan turned her head to look at him.

“Why not come back with me now?”

Long Yan tightened his grip on the Crystal and the shoe.

“Because I don’t want you to see me in this pathetic state.”

He looked up, flames burning in his golden eyes.

“I want to stand by your side as a man of strength.”

A faint smile touched Lin Fan’s lips as she looked at him.

“Alright.”

She turned, and her figure gradually disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

Long Yan stared in the direction she had left, his gaze lingering for a long time.

Only after her figure had completely vanished did he lower his head to look at the Crystal and the shoe in his hands.

The Crystal represented power.

The shoe represented a debt of gratitude.

Rеаⅾ oո KatRеαԁiոɡСafе

He had to become stronger.

Strong enough to protect Ning Shuang.

Strong enough to repay Little Rou.

Strong enough… to never be trampled on by anyone again.

Long Yan looked up in the direction Lin Fan had left, his hand clutching the small white shoe tightly, his eyes filled with determination.

Meanwhile.

Azurewood City, City Lord’s Mansion.

Hu Lie toyed with a string of blood-colored beads in his hand, his expression grim.

“City Lord, that Miss Ning Shuang left Azurewood City for the Mist Forest three days ago and has yet to return,” Hu Ben reported with his head lowered.

“Three days?” Hu Lie narrowed his eyes. “What is she doing in the forest?”

“This subordinate does not know, but…” Hu Ben paused. “A scout saw that Dragon Clan renegade, Long Yan, also head to the Mist Forest a few days ago.”

Hu Lie’s hand stopped moving.

“Long Yan?”

“Yes.”

Hu Lie sneered and tossed the beads onto the table.

“Interesting. That piece of trash really is a lingering ghost.” He stood up and walked to the window. “Send men to keep a close watch on the Mist Forest. If Long Yan dares to show his face, kill him on sight.”

Hu Ben was taken aback.

“City Lord, but he is Lady Ning Shuang’s…”

“So what? Find some unfamiliar faces from outside to do it. Don’t let Long Ningshuang know I was behind it.”

Hu Lie turned around, a vicious glint in his eyes.

“He’s just a renegade who had his Dragon Bone dug out. How dare he try to steal my woman.”