Chen Nan narrowly avoided the falling tree, quickly pivoted, and darted to the side. The giant, unable to stop in time, continued his forward march. By the time he turned around, Chen Nan had already carried the little princess and run more than twenty meters away.

  The little princess shouted, "You're so dumb! Hurry and hide up ahead! Hey, idiot, why did you stop? Run, quick!"

  Chen Nan suddenly halted, and with one swift motion, tossed the little princess to the ground.

  "Ah..." The little princess's curvy backside met the ground with a thud. "You scoundrel... ah, that hurts! You big idiot, ah..."

  Ignoring her, Chen Nan reached over his shoulder to grab the Hou Yi bow. Stepping forward with his left foot, he placed a dry branch on the bowstring. In that moment, his entire focus narrowed to the giant ahead of them.

  He drew the bowstring back with his right hand, and the dark Hou Yi bow emitted a faint golden glow. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged toward the bow. It felt as if Chen Nan and the bow were fused together, a wave of golden light spreading outward, with a powerful force emanating from him.

  The giant felt the immense energy in the air and hesitated, taking a step back in fear.

  At that moment, the boundless energy of heaven and earth rushed toward Chen Nan and the bow, enveloping him in a blinding golden light. The brilliance was so intense that the sun itself seemed to dim.

  The giant instinctively took a step back, his face showing deeper fear.

  The little princess was shaken to her core. She could not reconcile the figure before her with the scoundrel Chen Nan she knew. The difference between them was as vast as the heavens and the earth. The man before her stood like a towering mountain, his powerful aura giving off a divine and otherworldly presence, inspiring a deep, almost worshipful impulse. Under such pressure, even the ancient giant seemed insignificant, as though the man before her was a giant capable of commanding the heavens.

  "Is this really that scoundrel Chen Nan? Is this really that filthy thief?"

  Suddenly, the wind began to stir, and dark clouds gathered in the sky. Thunder rumbled as the bow shimmered with a golden mist, the light flowing like water toward the dry branch on the string. In a flash, the branch became a dazzling, golden beam, exuding a terrifying force.

  The giant trembled uncontrollably under the golden light. Chen Nan gently released the bowstring, but at the last moment, he quickly adjusted the bow’s direction. A violent gust of wind howled, and dark clouds rumbled as a bolt of golden light, like a flash of lightning, shot past the giant, slicing through the air. In the blink of an eye, it struck the roots of the largest tree in the forest.

  The towering tree, more than thirty meters high, shattered instantly. Wood chips flew through the air, and the ancient giant let out a monstrous cry as he turned and fled, crushing trees underfoot. The forest trembled with every step.

  The giant’s colossal form finally disappeared, and the turbulent energy of heaven and earth slowly calmed. The forest returned to its usual quiet. Chen Nan’s radiant golden light gradually faded, leaving only the lingering powerful aura that still made his presence feel as imposing as a mountain.

  The little princess shuddered and said, "Scoundrel... Chen Nan... How could your archery be so bad? You couldn’t even hit such a big target."

  As the powerful aura around him subsided, Chen Nan returned to his usual self, looking completely ordinary. The little princess let out a sigh of relief, still unsettled by the immense figure of Chen Nan from just moments ago.

  Chen Nan sighed. "I wonder if I’ll ever again feel the true martial realm in this life."

  "Stop being so vain. Even my master can only linger on the edge of the legendary True Martial Realm. You? Hmph, such delusions!" The little princess seized every opportunity to insult Chen Nan.

  Chen Nan gazed at the dust drifting through the air where the tree had fallen, speaking as though to himself, or perhaps to the little princess: "That was a heartfelt shot. In that moment, my heart ascended to the True Martial Realm. If I had enough power at that time, I could have shot down the gods in the sky."

  "Pah! How shameless! You couldn’t even hit such a big target as the giant, and now you’re talking about shooting down the gods in the sky? Who do you think you are!"

  At this moment, Chen Nan had fully returned to his original self and smiled. "I’m your husband."

  "Hmph, shameless!"

  Chen Nan ignored her and continued, "The divine arrow doesn't stop until it drinks the target's blood. Do you really think I lost aim with that last shot? I just wasn't confident I could kill him with one shot. If I ended up as helpless as you were when dealing with the giant snake, it could bring about a fatal disaster, right? So, I had no choice but to use the divine arrow's power to intimidate him. If I had enough strength, even if I could pull the bowstring just a little further, I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot that arrow straight into him."

  "I've figured it out, you're not only super shameless, but also a disgustingly narcissistic maniac!" The little princess ruthlessly criticized Chen Nan, but when she thought about the scene just now, she couldn’t help but be a little dazed. The power of that arrow left an impression on her too deep to ignore. She had to admit that at that moment, Chen Nan's heart truly resonated with the divine bow.

  The little princess felt an overwhelming sense of injustice in her heart, thinking: How can someone so ordinary get the divine bow’s recognition? This is infuriating!

  "Come on, wife, let's go home and get married!" Chen Nan scooped up the little princess.

  "Let go of me, you damn scoundrel, put me down...!" The little princess cursed him incessantly.

  Just as Chen Nan was about to toss her over his shoulder, the little princess saw her chance. She opened her mouth and bit down hard on his shoulder.

  "Ah..." Chen Nan yelled in pain, "Ah, you little devil, stop biting me..."

  He reached out with one hand and grabbed the little princess’s chin, struggling to pry her mouth open with all his strength.

  "Thud."

  Chen Nan tossed the little princess back onto the ground. This time, her backside met the ground again, and the pain made her face turn pale.

  "Ah... you bastard, ow... it hurts... damn scoundrel... ow..."

  Chen Nan looked at his shoulder, where a row of neat teeth marks were left, now bruised and purple.

  "You little devil, you really are ruthless!"

  At this moment, the little princess was in so much pain her eyes were filled with tears.

  "You deserve it, serves you right... ow..."

  "Haha..." Chen Nan couldn't help but laugh. "So, how's it feel? If I throw you again, your beautiful backside might just 'compete' with the Third Prince's!"

  The little princess glared at Chen Nan with hatred, gritting her teeth, "You damn bastard, how dare you treat me like this, I swear I’ll kill you one day, ow... it hurts so much..."

  "Wife, actually I know I can't blame you for this. I know you're hungry. But next time, remember, a husband's shoulder isn’t for eating. Alright, let's find a comfortable place and get something to eat." Chen Nan smiled. This time, he "carefully" picked her up and, despite her curses, placed her on his shoulder.

  "Chen Nan, you bastard, how could you treat me like this? I'm a princess, for heaven’s sake! How can you carry me like prey on your shoulder? You sealed my energy, can't you just let me walk by myself?"

  "No, that's too slow."

  ...

  After crossing two mountain peaks, a pale blue jade-like belt appeared at the foot of the mountains. A small river, formed by the convergence of mountain springs, meandered through the range. From a distance, the sound of rushing water could be heard, and under the scorching sun, this sound was undoubtedly the most beautiful melody.

  The little princess's eyes sparkled, and her face was full of joy as she said to Chen Nan, "Scoundrel, there's a river ahead. Hurry and cross it, I'm about to die of thirst."

  "Alright, let's rest there for a while and have something to eat."

  The river was crystal clear, with colorful pebbles at the bottom. The fish, unafraid of humans, swam happily in the water. After washing his face, Chen Nan took off his shoes and socks, dipping his feet into the cool water. The heat instantly faded away.

  The little princess was placed on the riverbank. After seeing the relaxed expression on Chen Nan's face, she shouted unhappily, "You filthy thief! How can you leave me in the blazing sun while you enjoy the coolness? You're so selfish!"

  "So refreshing!" Chen Nan dramatically stretched out his arms and said, "Demon wife, don’t rush. Wait here for a bit, and when I return from hunting, I'll give you a moment of freedom."

  After putting on his shoes and socks, Chen Nan stood up and walked toward the nearby forest.

  The little princess kept cursing, "Hey, scoundrel, filthy thief, come back! How can you leave me here alone? What if a beast comes? You damned bastard..."

  After a short while, Chen Nan came out of the forest holding two plump snow chickens. He called to the little princess, "Demon wife, now you’ll have something to eat. Look, this is the finest delicacy!"

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The little princess looked at the two snow-white chickens with bright feathers and scolded Chen Nan, "How cruel of you! How could you harm such cute, big birds like this? You butcher!"

  Chen Nan: "..."

  The little princess: "You executioner!"

  Chen Nan: "..."

  The little princess: "You demon!"

  Chen Nan: "..."

  The little princess: "You inhuman monster!"

  Chen Nan: "Enough, please! They’re just two snow chickens to fill our stomachs. Don’t elevate their lives to the level of humans, alright? If you truly had a heart, you wouldn't have treated me like that earlier. I think you're the one who’s more like family to the devil!"

  Chen Nan reached out and slapped the little princess a few times, saying, "I'll give you a moment of freedom, but don’t even think about running away. With your internal energy sealed, you’re no different from an ordinary person. If you wander around, you might end up as someone’s snack."

  The little princess gritted her teeth in anger, cursing a few more times. Chen Nan ignored her, unsheathing his sword to start cleaning the snow chickens.

  The little princess glanced at the distant mountain forests, then at Chen Nan, her face showing a resigned expression. She turned and walked towards the riverbank. But the moment she turned, a sly smile crept onto her lips. If Chen Nan had seen it, he would’ve shuddered—this was the little princess’s trademark—the Devil's Smile.

  She stepped onto the pebbles in the river and walked into the cool water. Her clothes were soaked by the stream, and she cupped her hands to drink some water, moistening her lips. Then she took off her hairpin, letting her glossy black hair cascade down like a waterfall. The river water wet her long hair, and she swam joyfully in the water, like a carefree fish.

  Chen Nan skewered the cleaned snow chickens onto two sharpened sticks and began to roast them. Soon, a delicious aroma wafted through the air. The chickens turned a golden, glossy hue as the oil dripped onto the fire, making a sizzling sound. The riverbank was filled with fragrance, and Chen Nan couldn't help but swallow.

  At that moment, the little princess suddenly sank into the water. About half a minute later, she surfaced, her wet hair dripping with water. Her flawless beauty was like a rare flower, as radiant as a lotus blooming in clear water.

  Chen Nan turned just in time to see the image of her rising from the water. He froze, murmuring, "Luo Shen... Long neck, elegant profile, fair skin revealed. Her fragrance remains untouched, and her elegance is beyond measure. Cloud-like hair, perfect eyebrows, delicate lips, bright teeth, shining eyes full of grace. Her beauty is extraordinary, her presence serene. Her movements full of gentle charm, her allure beyond words..."

  As he gazed at the little princess in the water, his mind wandered back to the first time he had seen her, when she was completely naked, pure like an angel, as beautiful as a fairy, almost like a little immortal. Chen Nan planted the sticks with the snow chickens into the ground and slowly walked towards the river. Sitting at the bank, he stared absentmindedly at the little princess.

  Slowly, this fairy-like girl stirred the deepest memories in him, and a beautiful image emerged in his heart. The scene made him think of her—Yuxin.

  Chen Nan’s eyes blurred, and distant memories slowly opened up. It felt as though he had returned to ten thousand years ago, with Yuxin gently walking toward him, her enchanting smile, her bright eyes sparkling, and the sound of her cheerful laughter ringing in his ears...

  The dream broke, and his heart shattered. He understood that Yuxin could never return. Ten thousand years ago, after a devastating defeat in battle with the peerless evil cultivator Dongfang Xiaotian, Yuxin had sacrificed herself to save him, enduring the ten strikes of the Evil Sky Splitting technique, her meridians shattered, eventually sealing herself away in the Hundred Flowers Valley.

  "Until the very end, you were comforting me, telling me to live well..." Chen Nan closed his eyes, warm tears flowed down his face uncontrollably.

  "Can you really understand life and death, break through the barrier, and emerge? Will I ever see you again? I know it's impossible. That farewell was our final goodbye! Yuxin..." Yuxin was the eternal pain in Chen Nan’s heart, his lifelong regret.

  After a long time, Chen Nan’s emotions slowly calmed. He washed his face with river water to remove the tears, then murmured softly, "I thought I had let go of everything from ten thousand years ago... Sigh! Some things can never be forgotten, the true feelings that are etched into the heart can never be erased. Yuxin, ten thousand years ago, I failed you, and after you left, I gave up on myself, secretly facing a deadly duel without telling my father... I never expected that, ten thousand years later, I would be reborn. Life is like a dream. In this life, I will live well."

  "I know I will never forget you, but I still have to say: let the past fly away!"

  Suddenly, the river began to steam with mist, and the water around the little princess seemed to be boiling. Bubbles surged to the surface, popping and breaking apart. The water splashed, creating heat waves and swirling mist over the river. The fish in the water scattered in a panic, swimming away in all directions.

  The little princess stood still in the water, her skin flushed and glowing, faint ripples of light moving across her. The white mist surrounding her made her even more ethereal and otherworldly.

  Chen Nan was shocked. He knew that the little princess's blood was boiling, and her internal energy was circulating at a speed a hundred times faster than usual. He cursed under his breath, "Fool, how could I forget the Inferno Immortal Lotus?"

  He quickly ran into the river, reached the little princess, and began slapping her key acupoints with both hands. Gradually, sweat appeared on his face, not from the boiling water but from his anxiety. He had slapped over dozens of times, but his strikes were blocked by an unseen force just half an inch from her body, unable to seal even one of her acupoints.

  The little princess’s previously sealed acupoints were all unblocked, and her internal energy surged, circulating through her meridians, forming a protective shield of true energy around her body. All of Chen Nan’s strikes were absorbed and dissipated without leaving a trace.

  Suddenly, a powerful force surged from the little princess, sending Chen Nan flying back, causing him to land on his back in the water. A massive wave erupted around her, and the medicinal effects of the Inferno Immortal Lotus were finally fully unleashed.

  Chen Nan got up from the water and hurriedly ran toward the shore.

  The little princess shouted, "Trying to run? Not that easy!"

  A huge wave erupted from the center of the river and struck Chen Nan’s back, sending him stumbling and nearly falling.

  Like a celestial being gliding over the waves, the little princess leaped from the water and instantly appeared behind Chen Nan. Gritting her teeth, she coldly sneered, "Heh, you scum, you filthy thief, I’ve put up with you for so long, and now I can finally get my revenge." With that, she struck at him with a palm.

  Chen Nan hurriedly turned to meet her, and they clashed fiercely. They rolled and darted in the water, fists and feet flying, with gusts of wind swirling around them. The river churned with waves, the surging energy creating splashes that flew in all directions. Fish and shrimp were occasionally swept to the shore, hopping around. Despite Chen Nan giving it his all, his cultivation level was no match for the little princess. After a dozen or so exchanges, she kicked him in the left rib, sending him crashing into the water with a splash.

  The little princess swiftly flew over, pressing several acupoints to restrain him, then grabbed him by the collar and pulled him onto the shore. Once on land, she first used her energy to dry her drenched clothes, then turned to Chen Nan with a cold smile. "You didn’t think this moment would come so soon, did you?" Recalling what Chen Nan had done to her earlier, the little princess was on the verge of losing control. She couldn’t hold back anymore and began punching and kicking him, screaming as she did so.

  "You filthy thief, you dare treat me like that? I’ll hit, I’ll kick, I’ll grab..." At this point, the little princess had completely lost her royal composure; she was nothing more than an angry little girl.

  Chen Nan howled in pain, and before long, his head was swollen like a pig's head.

  "You little demon... I’ve been so kind to you before, and yet... ow..."

  It was bad enough that Chen Nan had spoken, but as soon as the little princess heard him mention the past, her brows furrowed sharply, and her flawless face was covered with frost.

  "You dare mention the past?! You... you damn bastard, how dare you treat me like that? I’ll kill you!" She remembered how this detestable man had once humiliated her, the proud princess of a nation, and she was filled with fury and shame. She picked up a nearby longsword, her killing intent rising as she walked toward Chen Nan.

  Chen Nan’s face turned pale. Just moments ago, he had sworn to live on for Yuxin, but now he was about to face death—such a sudden reversal of fate was staggering.

  The little princess suddenly smiled, a smile so captivating it could make a city fall, but in Chen Nan’s eyes, it was undoubtedly a devil’s grin, her smile full of malice.

  The little princess had intended to end his life with one swift strike, but then she noticed the Houyi Bow on Chen Nan’s back. She recalled how, during their battle in the woods, this seemingly useless man had turned the tide with three arrows, becoming the final victor. It was clear that this seemingly ordinary man was not as simple as he appeared—otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to draw the divine bow. Thinking back to the time when he had shot an arrow that shook the heavens and earth, and the blinding light that emanated when he and the divine bow became one, the little princess couldn’t help but feel moved.

  She kept calculating in her mind. If she killed him to vent her anger, no one would ever know that the little princess of Chu had been humiliated by a vile man. But if she brought him back to the palace and made him wield the Houyi Bow, Chu would gain a peerless expert.

  After weighing the pros and cons, reason triumphed over impulse. The little princess decided to spare Chen Nan’s life and use him for Chu’s benefit. However, she was filled with resentment, silently enraged by his previous disrespectful behavior. She glared at him viciously and gritted her teeth. "Do you want to live?"

  "Yes, of course," Chen Nan replied.

  "Good, I’ll give you a chance. Swear to me that you’ll never tell anyone about what happened between us, and keep it locked in your heart forever. Can you do that?"

  In that instant, Chen Nan understood what the little princess was thinking. She had clearly set her sights on his ability to draw the Houyi Bow and wanted to keep him for herself. But she was also worried about the disrespectful acts he had committed toward her, fearing that they would be exposed and ruin her reputation. Realizing this, Chen Nan agreed without hesitation.

  "Alright, I promise not to mention anything that happened before to anyone. Oh, we never really had anything between us, where should I even begin?"

  Clearly, the little princess was very pleased with Chen Nan's response, sneering coldly, "You're smart, I hope you stay smart."

  "I will never disappoint Your Highness," Chen Nan replied.

  "I hope you can match your words with your actions."

  The little princess lifted Chen Nan's collar with her sword, flicking her wrist to sever a piece of his collar more than a foot long, then she swung the sword toward his fingers.

  "Ah, what are you doing? Are you... are you going back on your word?"

  The little princess mocked, "Hmph, cowardly as a mouse."

  Chen Nan was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. He never expected that in just half a day's time, he would once again fall into the hands of this little demon. This time, escaping her "clutches" seemed impossible.

  Seeing the fear in Chen Nan's eyes, the little princess grinned with delight. She used her sword to cut across his right middle finger, then slapped his body a few times, saying, "You filthy thief, write a contract of servitude now."

  "A contract of servitude?"

  "Yes, today you will sell yourself into slavery to save your life. From now on, you will be my private property."

  "What? This... didn't I already swear I wouldn't speak of this again? What more are you worried about? There's no need to go this far!"

  "Hmph, you disgraceful scoundrel, who would trust your vows? Only a fool would believe your promises. Write it now."

  Chen Nan was so frustrated he could die. Just moments ago, the little princess was his captive, and now, in the blink of an eye, he had become her slave. If he had the power, he truly wanted to strangle this little demon. He secretly regretted not taking some dirty and underhanded actions against her earlier—he regretted it deeply!

  The little demon princess sneered, "Being merciful to an enemy is cruel to yourself, you shameless fool—serves you right!"

  Chen Nan nearly spat blood, wishing he could slap himself twice.

  "You filthy thief, hurry and write!"

  The little princess's words snapped Chen Nan back to reality. He furrowed his brows and said, "I... I can't... write."

  "What? You dare not write?" The little princess was furious.

  "No, I can't read," Chen Nan replied, feeling both regret and a hint of embarrassment. In his year as a reincarnate on this continent, he had only learned the spoken language of Tianyuan, but hadn't yet had time to learn the written characters.

  "You can't read? Hahaha..." The little princess laughed wildly. "It's obvious you're not a good person, you can't even be bothered to learn how to read. Truly a disgrace."

  Chen Nan was at a loss for words.

  The little princess drew her sword and began carving into the ground. In no time, a line of elegant characters appeared on the surface.

  "Write according to the characters on the ground."

  Under pressure, Chen Nan was forced to sign a contract of servitude, then pressed his fingerprint. He sighed inwardly: From heaven to hell!