Chapter 332: A Grand Gamble

This is a high‑stakes gamble.

Using Lin Yifan's own life, he bets on a future.

A slight misstep and it's a death wail!

But even so, Lin Yifan feels no regret; ever since he left the comfortable world of Earth Star for this death‑filled realm, he has been gambling.

Otherwise, he couldn't have progressed so quickly.

But… it's truly a damn torment!

Lin Yifan grits his teeth so hard his gums bleed.

On his arm, the evolving Bloodsucking Vine resembles an awakened ancient beast, greedily devouring the terrifying energy contained in the dark‑gold fragment.

Each energy draw deepens and spreads the dark‑gold veins on the vine, and the sense of cold, noble, yet destructively tempting power grows ever more imposing.

Yet this power is no gentle lamb.

It is unruly, bearing the violent will left in the dark‑gold cocoon, like a raging tide repeatedly striking the spiritual imprint Lin Yifan has driven into the vine's core.

Each impact feels like a hammer pounding his soul, bringing tearing pain and dizziness.

He must concentrate all his will, like a captain gripping the helm amid stormy seas; any slack allows the newborn terrifying force to recoil, devouring him and the Lingling in his arms!

"Ugh…" Lin Yifan lets out a suppressed low growl, sweat pouring from his forehead, mixed with blood.

He looks down at Lingling in his arms; the little one remains unconscious, breath faint, but thanks to a high‑grade pill, the fire of life has not yet gone out.

Strangely enough, Lin Yifan cannot recall where this high‑grade pill came from.

Logically, the power tiers and composition of this world resemble a Western fantasy realm.

In such a worldview, pills shouldn't exist; only alchemists' concoctions would be found.

But regardless of origin, it only brings benefits, so Lin Yifan is too lazy to think further.

Perhaps this world also has cultivators!

If so, his obtaining the pill would show a fate with cultivation; maybe he could even become an immortal someday.

Lin Yifan's whimsical daydreams amid suffering, oddly enough, become the firmest anchor against the lure of destruction.

He cannot lose! Whether for himself or for Lingling, he must hold on!

Otherwise, more than one will die.

Lin Yifan continually numbs himself; the glow of his spiritual imprint stubbornly flickers deep in his soul, tightly sealing the dark power of the Bloodsucking Vine's core as it swells.

Time drags slowly amid pain and stalemate; every minute, every second feels especially agonizing.

Finally, the fist‑sized dark‑gold fragment loses all luster, turning to powder that drifts down from the Bloodsucking Vine's suction mouth.

Buzz…

The Bloodsucking Vine's devouring stops.

The portion coiled around Lin Yifan's arm now displays a breathtakingly beautiful yet ferocious aura.

Its originally dark‑red base is now covered with intricate, mysterious dark‑gold patterns, like ancient deity runes.

The vine thickens a layer, its texture as tough as alloy, fine barbs glinting with a cold metallic sheen.

A powerful, restrained yet turbulent undercurrent of energy radiates from it, bearing cold Overwhelming Pressure.

Evolution… complete!

But Lin Yifan dares not relax at all.

He can clearly feel that the newborn power in the vine's core, though temporarily suppressed by his will, is like a dormant volcano, fraught with dangerous instability.

It craves more dark energy, yearning to unleash its destructive might!

At the same time, a keen perception of life energy originating from the dark‑gold cocoon feeds back to him.

He can vaguely "sense" faint life signs lingering beneath the surrounding ruins—perhaps surviving plant roots, perhaps lucky tiny insects…

This perception is cold and precise, devoid of emotion; no matter how subtle the movement, it cannot escape his sense.

Lin Yifan involuntarily immerses himself; the ability to perceive surroundings solely with intent, without the five senses, feels utterly marvelous.

"Huh…" After a long while, he finally exhales a long, blood‑scented gasp, his body and spirit exhausted to the limit.

But he still dares not collapse; at this moment, less than half an hour remains before nightfall.

Out in the wilderness, even before dark, it's fraught with danger; even if daylight remains, peril abounds.

Perhaps beasts lurk in the shadows, waiting to scavenge!

Thus, even knowing his wounds are severe enough to near death, Lin Yifan still refuses to fall unconscious.

He strives to ease the pain, cautiously attempting to communicate with the Bloodsucking Vine: "Return."

The vine trembles slightly, the dark‑gold veins flicker, seeming reluctant.

But at that moment, the white flower that coexists with the Bloodsucking Vine—Pure Spirit Flower—its petals flutter slightly, whether intentionally or not.

Then, the previously reluctant Bloodsucking Sugar begins to contract slowly, eventually re‑wrapping his wrist, becoming a rustic vine bracelet covered in dark‑gold patterns.

This rustic vine bracelet differs greatly from the previous one, yet one aspect remains unchanged.

That is the Pure Spirit Flower winding around the bracelet, still vividly blooming, emitting a cool fragrance.

As the Bloodsucking Vine transforms into a bracelet again, the cold Overwhelming Pressure subsides, but Lin Yifan knows this is only temporary calm.

The danger is far from over!

Nevertheless, with Pure Spirit Flower suppressing it, there should be no problem in the short term.

With the greatest threat gone, Lin Yifan's mind relaxes, and he suddenly feels a wave of darkness.

Yet he still dares not collapse; although the silent forest core was blasted, the massive explosion's noise, in this oppressive environment of an approaching eternal night, is like a lighthouse in the dark!

No one knows what it might attract!

Lin Yifan forces his nearly broken body, laboriously cradling Lingling gently in his arms.

The little one's body is light, yet now feels as heavy as a thousand pounds.

He looked around; the burning phosphorus fire leapt among the ruins, and the smell of char and acrid stench spread.

In the distance, the area swept by the edge of the explosion's shockwave, those twisted giant trees' shadows, under the dim light, snarled and clawed as if hiding endless malice.

"We must leave here immediately!"

Lin Yifan's internal alarm rang loudly.

He was gravely wounded, Lingling was even more on the brink of death, the evolved Bloodsucking Vine was an unstable factor, and this place was absolutely unsuitable for staying long!